Behind Violet Eyes
by VioletBellFlower
Summary: Her clan isn't renowned. They aren't shinobi. They are shopkeepers and traveling merchants, selling things and telling fortunes to folks with money to spare. She, however, does it a bit better than others, not always with any skill. She doesn't always see what she wants, and what it isn't always useful. It's a gift. It's a curse. Rating upped for non/semi-graphic death & swearing
1. Chapter 1

**Violetta POV**

My feet pattered against the pavement, as I rushed home from day camp, a flyer in hand. I duck into my cousin Akari's shop to pick up the wallet a man had dropped and slip it into his pocket as I pass him on the street. Remind a fruit vendor to move his cart from the path shortly before a blonde and orange blur barrels through the space. I stop and buy flour from the market as quickly as I can, and grab my brothers forgotten coat from a bench on the corner near his girlfriends home. By the time I reach the house my excitement is bubbling beyond the surface, and my hands are a bit fuller than they can handle.

"Mama, I got you flour! You don't have enough for the cake you want to make Uncle Zar for tomorrow. And brother left his coat lying about again," mother pokes her head out of the kitchen at me and smiles. Motioning for me to come in there with her.

"Thank you Violetta. I'm sure your brother will need that coat, but why did I need to make a cake for Uncle Zar?"

"It's his birthday tomorrow, but you forgot until just now," her face goes pale as she places the flour in the cabinet, and then passes me an apple and a cookie for my snack.

"Oh dear, I did forget. It's a good thing I have you around. Who else did you help today?" I bite into my apple thoughtfully and then swallow.

"There's a lot Mama, I don't even know them all for sure you know that, but on the way home I picked up a wallet a man lost and got it back to him, and helped save a poor fruit vendors fruit from a little blonde boy." I take another bite out of my apple and look at my mother expectantly. She looks back and me, and eyes the flyer on the counter. Picking it up she studies it for several moments, getting paler again by the moment.

"You're going to say no, but you shouldn't Mama. I really think I could do it, and I think I'd be really good at it. I have the family gift, and there are lots of things we do I could probably make into skills for it. You don't have to be scared Mama, I can do it." Setting the flyer back down she then takes my apple away and kneels down, hands on my shoulders and looking me in the eyes.

"You always know what I am going to say, but I am now going to tell you what I think. I know by the look on your face that you didn't see this speech coming little one because you changed the moment before it happened and you knew how to change it well. Yes, you have a gift. A magnificent but sometimes terrifying one, one that you cannot share with any but your most trusted companions. No one can know about it unless you trust with your life and the life of the entire village. I will let you do this, but we must first speak to the Hokage. Your grandmother told me this day would come, and she told me you would be the one to stir the pot. That like her, you would be able to see life and what it holds without the aid of cards or crystal balls. Whether it be past, present, or future. That even without realizing it you would change moments for the better, and that no matter how much wanted to say no I must say yes. Now, let's go see the Hokage, and then come home and make that for Uncle Zar." I throw my arms around her neck and smile.

"It's going to be vanilla with chocolate frosting Mama." She squeezes me back, "Of course it is baby girl. Now..."

* * *

That's how I ended up standing here, staring into the school bathroom mirror the day I hopefully graduate. The day of final exams. I keep my power shut off, now that I know how to control it most of the time because I don't want to spoil anything that is going to happen today or tomorrow. Thankfully, Iruka-sensei is letting me take the exam in a separate room. I won't even have to deal with my classmates, and all I had to do was use the excuse that I didn't wish to cheat in any way by having a vision of their answers. He had me do taijutsu exams yesterday and secretly tested if I could spot genjutsu while I walked home. I already knew I'd passed those. I push my dark hair away from my face, and despite its curly unruliness, I manage it get it to stay away from my eyes.

There are five minutes before I have to be in the testing room, and I carefully smooth the outfit mother and I had worked hard to design with cousin Amethyst. I should probably head out, nearly everyone should be where they're supposed to be by now. Taking my own advice I go to what is usually the detention room near the teacher's lounge and find an unfamiliar face there. It's difficult to resist the urge to turn my power on for a moment, but I don't want to risk seeing anything I don't want to.

"You must be Violetta, I am Yuhi Kurenai. As a favor to Iruka, I am overseeing all of your exams today according to the parameters he gave me. Do you have any questions?" I shake my head, "No, Yuhi-san. I am fine." She nods at me and hands me the paper exam, "Then you may as well begin, I will be at the desk if you need me." Doing as she says I begin the long process of the written exam. Nearly two hours later, I'm finished.

"Alright, and the final part is the clone jutsu. You have to produce at least two functional clones." I nod and take my stance. _Tiger. Boar. Ox. Dog._ I push my chakra into the technique and hear two familiar pops near me. They're perfect copies, right down to the color of the buttons on my uniform. Yuhi-san smiles at me, "Excellent. I'll give Iruka your exam to grade, and you can go see him after school after the others take the second part of their exams."

"Arigatou Yuhi-san, and out of curiosity why did you owe Iruka-sensei a favor?" Kurenai snaps her eyes up to me a little surprised, "What makes you think that I owed him a favor, and not that he's going to owe me one?" I shrug casually, "I'm a very skilled guesser." Her eyes twinkle at me a little, "Well then, you'll just have to guess why as well." I bow to her before I leave, and I can't wait until after school when I see Iruka-sensei to find out if I passed the exams.

* * *

 _The cover photo is her._


	2. Chapter 2

_Her name is pronounced Vee-oh-let-uh._

* * *

 **Iruka Sensei's POV**

Violetta had obtained the first perfect score in the history of the written exam, and I knew there was no way she had cheated. Even with her special ability, it wasn't possible, because there were always two questions on the exam that we had never learned, and that were not selected by me. There was also no copy of the exam with the answers anywhere, I graded them on the basis that I knew the answers. Generally, since no one got them correct those two questions didn't count towards the grade, almost like a curve. However, she had gotten them correct. Hadn't used the proper methods to get them correct, but had managed to get the right answer the wrong way. Not even in a way that she had guessed at the end and gotten lucky, the answer at the end was the correct answer to the work. I was still staring at it confused as to how to proceed with it. Correct answers... Incorrect work... But I didn't give points for the work, only the answer...

"Iruka-sensei, are you finished with my exam?" Violetta was standing patiently in front of me, and she'd startled me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, yes, I am. I just have one question, how did you get the two impossible questions correct, without doing them correctly?" She looks confused for several moments before shrugging, the way I'm accustomed to her doing.

"I'm very good at getting things right the wrong way I guess."

"Right, since we have the time I'll run through your scores with you. You had just barely passing taijutsu scores at 62%, worth 15%. An average score in genjutsu at 86%, weighted 10%. An average score with your clones- with only the mandatory two 85% weighted 15%. And a perfect score on your exam, weighted 10%. Combined with your current school grade of 98%, weighted 50% thanks to all of the extra credit you do, your final score is a rounded 90%. It's more than passing, and you pass as seventh in your class overall. Congratulations Violetta, you're now a genin of the Leaf. I'll see you tomorrow for team assignments." I hand her her headband, proud of her as I am every student that passes the exam each year.

"Arigatou Iruka-sensei..." Her eyes cloud over for a moment, and her face fills with confusion. "And... Naruto-san would never actually doubt that you care about him." Even saying it she still seems confused, as though even she doesn't know why this is important. "I'll see you tomorrow sensei."

Violetta leaves, mumbling to herself and more confused than I am. I can only hope that whatever sensei she gets is prepared for the struggles that come with her attempting to learn about her gifts and how to use them.

* * *

 **Violetta's POV**

Today is the day, I get assigned a team and finally start the path I've been working towards since I was six years old. Mother is downstairs preparing breakfast, and both brother and grandfather are coming home from their travels tomorrow to have celebratory dinner with us. They'd have been home two days ago, but the sandstorms in the Land of Wind have been terrible.

"Violetta, breakfast is ready! You don't want to be late today of all days!" Throwing on my headband, I turn to open my door and go downstairs. Then suddenly my room snaps away, and I'm somewhere else entirely.

 _It's the Hokage's office, and the Sensei's that will be given teams are looking into the crystal ball with him. I can't make out all of their faces, but some of them seem somewhat familiar. I think one of them may be Kurenai. They're picking teams. He's talking to them. It's somewhat garbled._

 _"Addition... so last minute... Naruto... Who will... off numbers... One extra... unusual predicament..."_

The world snaps back into focus, I'm sitting on the floor. Sometimes I miss the days when my visions were singular images or not even visions at all just intuitions that came from nowhere. Sure, those ones still happen sometimes without my knowledge even, but visions that throw you out of your own mind and body can take a lot out of you. Including blood, and looking down at my uniform I groan. I'll have to change clothes, mother yells again.

"Are you alright up there? Do you need help?"

"No Mama, I have to change my shirt really quickly I'll be right down." I change my shirt as quickly as I can and race down the stairs. Placing it in the wash basin, I turn the hot water on and let it fill before turning it off and going into the kitchen. Mother looks up at me and smiles, placing breakfast in front of me.

"I'll clean that while you're at school, are you excited for today? We're all very proud of you, you know that." With my food quickly finished I wrap her in a hug, and she lifts my smaller frame as easily as she always had.

"Don't worry Mama, it's going to go great. I'll see you tonight." Heading out the door with one final look at her and a wave, I head to school with my head still spinning a bit. Trying really hard to piece together what went on in my head.

There was someone added... The numbers are off... Naruto... Naruto failed yesterday, that I know... Maybe he somehow found a way to pass afterward, maybe that's why I had to tell Iruka what I did even though I still don't what it meant. Naruto passed and so now there's one more person than what would be needed to form three-person teams with no extras. They must be trying to figure out what to do with the extra student, or perhaps Naruto if they already had teams last night before whatever happened happened. This is making my head hurt. I rub my temples as I head into the academy and enter the classroom. Some sort of ruckus going down on one side, which I ignore in favor of a seat as far from it as possible.

"Everyone, take your seats. Now that you are all genin of the Leaf village, it is time to receive your team assignments." Paying attention only for my name I stare at a point on the wall and take deep breaths. The thing is, Iruka-sensei dismisses everyone to lunch without me ever hearing my name.


	3. Chapter 3

**Violetta POV**

"Iruka-sensei?" He looks up from his papers startled for a moment.

"Oh, Violetta. Did you need something?"

"I didn't hear what team I was assigned to." Iruka starts flipping through his papers and then swears under his breath, and flips through them again as though double checking for something he knows he isn't going to find. Finally, he straightens up and smiles nervously.

"It seems we may need to go speak to the Hokage, as all of the students are assigned to teams, except for you, and there are no instructions for what your instructions are to be. We can go just as soon as-"

"No need Iruka, I'm already here. Violetta, come take a walk with me." Iruka-sensei and I look at each other bewildered and then back to the Hokage. Following the Hokage out of the classroom and through the halls he begins to speak.

"From even before you entered the academy you have impressed me, though not in all areas of your work in the academy do you excel. I've never told you this, but the jutsu used with my crystal ball was given to the Hokage by someone in your family. I imagine, however, that we use it a bit differently than most members of your family use the crystal balls. Now that you are a genin, I have no doubt your skills will only continue to develop. In fact, should you continue the path you have chosen your clan may one day be renowned as having a Kekkei Genkai, because, with your gift and derived techniques from your families practices, even ones that are only a thought, that is what it seems you have at times." He motions for me to follow him around a corner, and he shoos some children away before continuing.

"I am now left with the grand task of placing you somewhere that is not only able to handle the struggles that come with your gift, but allow you to grow and flourish as you deserve to. I feel as though no one team is equipped for that, and no one jounin is going to give you the training you need. You need to work hard in taijutsu, but you also need someone with enough knowledge to help you develop your own style. Your genjutsu knowledge is passable, but perhaps you have potential in utilizing it to some extent, with your gift in mind. Your ninjutsu as well. It seems hat, with your gift in mind it may be beneficial for you to know all of the young shinobi of the village that you may someday work with. That, in conjunction with the uniqueness of an off number of graduates this year, means that I have made a unique decision. You are going to rotate between teams, whichever ones pass, and the team that passed and is still together from this past year. They will be the first that you work with. Tell me Violetta, do you have any questions?"

I look at the Hokage thoughtfully, and then back in front of us where I see that we are standing at the door to the stairwell that leads to the roof.

"What team am I meeting?" He chuckles and shakes his head before turning away.

"It's better to see for yourself, and try not to be overwhelmed. I've already warned them to stay out of your bubble as much as possible outside of training, and if you need anything you know where to find me Violetta." With that, he vanishes with the speed of a much younger shinobi, and I am left standing before the first door on the path to my goals. I open it cautiously and head up the stairs, where something interesting awaits me.

* * *

 **Gai Sensei POV**

The Hokage's plan for this young girl was interesting, but he had not explained what her abilities were or why this was the path he setting her on. I however believe as he does that she must have amazing potential, and that he would not have put her on this path if she did do not posses the fires of youth. My own young genin sit impatiently, especially Neji. When finally, she opens the door and looks out at us curiously.

"Yosh! It is our most youthful new companion! The young VIOLETTA! Come sit with your team!" She eyes me warily and sits, eyeing Tenten more warily than me or either of the boys as she does. Curious, "Yosh! In honour of our youthful new companion, we shall all introduce ourselves, what we like, dislike, and our goals! Yosh, most youthful Tenten shall begin!"

"Sha, My name is Tenten. I like practicing with my weapons, and I dislike when I cannot master a new one quickly enough. My goal is to become an incredible Kunoichi on par with Lady Tsunade, but with my own legacy to leave behind."

"Yosh! Most youthful answers, Lee!"

"Yosh! My name is Rock Lee! I like to practice my taijutsu, and dislike when people assume I am weak! My goal is to become an amazing shinobi without the use of ninjutsu or genjutsu! Only Taijutsu!"

"Yosh! Lee! You embody youth! Neji!"

"Humph, I am Hyuuga Neji. I like little, and dislike most things. My goals are unimportant." Blanching I weep dramatically.

"Yosh! Most unyouthful answers Neji! Violetta! It is your turn!" The young girl immediately becomes even more nervous and tense at this. The Hokage had warned me that she had never socialized much with her classmates, only her family, himself, and Iruka-san

"Um... My name is Watanbe Violetta. I like to... practice dancing, gardening, and doing other things with my mother... I dislike... not being skilled enough at... many things..." Pausing she takes a deep breath and finally looks up, a bit braver than before, "My goal is to become the first successful shinobi ever in my family, pave the way for more of us to become shinobi, and carve out a spot for our special skills in the shinobi forces of Konoha and every other village we live in." It's an impressive goal, from what I've heard she has a few younger cousins, and a niece, in the academy now. Doing well enough all things considered, and all girls as well.

"Yosh! Most youthful response Violetta! That is all for today my youthful pupils! Go home, fan the flames of your youth, and meet at the training grounds tomorrow at seven sharp!" With that, I vanish and leave them to their own devices, off to do some research on my new temporary pupil.


	4. Chapter 4

**Violetta POV**

Mother is waiting for me at the door when I arrive home, beaming with pride and excitement to hear about my day.

"Oh, Violetta! How did it go? Do you like your team? What are they like? Come on, tell me everything." Smiling, I wrap her in a hug, and we go into the house.

"I'm not going to have just one team, it's this weird thing the Hokage is trying. My team right now is one from last year, and they seem... Okay, I guess. Some of them are a little loud for me, especially the sensei." Mother bustles around the kitchen, doing a million things yet nothing in particular either.

"Well, tomorrow when you go to practice you're going to invite them, and their families, to supper. And whenever you get a new team, let me know and then invite them too. Since it's a team there already was there's four of them right? That won't be much different than what was already planned, we'll just have to grab the extra chairs from the study. Now, what do you think we should make for them?" Mother stops in front of me, a pot in hand.

"Well, let's not do families for this one... There's Gai-sensei, and Rock Lee, they seem like they might like stews and curries, really spicy. Though, Gai-sensei probably has a secret sweet tooth. Tenten seems like she probably wouldn't mind that either, but not so spicy. I'm not sure what Hyuga Neji would like, he's... Bitter in a way." Mother nods and begins poking around the cabinets again, looking through ingredients and things.

"Let's do two kinds of curry then, your great-grans spice of death curry if anything I know we'll all eat it. Then we can use Cousin Nika's recipe for her sweet and spicy mild curry. Maybe dango for dessert, and... Oh! What about the appetizers? Maybe just spring rolls and some fruit, something simple... Let me get the door..." In the middle of her usual ramblings, the doorbell had rung, she bustled out of the kitchen to answer it. When she returned she had a letter in hand and was reading it.

Sighing in disappointment, she set it down and started bustling again, "Your brother and grandfather met with a caravan in need of a few extra hands and more sellers to make the trip worthwhile, and they have plenty of goods that they were planning on selling here that will fetch more where they are going. They won't be home for another three months or so, but we should have expected that. Though I imagine Mikari is beginning to miss your brother terribly, I do hope he sent her a letter as well. Oh! We aren't going to need that extra chairs after all." Mother continues speaking and bustling around the kitchen. I simply watch her and smile.

* * *

The next morning I arrive at the training grounds about an hour early to find Lee already there, he immediately runs to greet me. Seeming to stop himself from hugging me, instead settling for a beaming smile and a thumbs up.

"Yosh! Good morning my most youthful new teammate! You have arrived most early, proving the fires of your youth!" His volume is flinch-worthy, but I restrain myself and smiley softly back. Shuffling nervously, I decide to ask him first, since he seems the friendliest and least likely to say no.

"Um... Good morning to you too Lee. Listen... My mother wants me to invite the team to dinner at our house tonight at 530, she's making spring rolls, and curry and dango and things... So, um... Since you're the first one here... Would you, like to attend?" His confusion is written across his face first, as though this is a request he's never gotten before. Going to dinner at someone's house, but then he's beaming with tears of joy running down his face and excitement written all over his movements.

"Yes! Of course! I most graciously accept this request from my youthful teammate and her most youthful mother! I am honored greatly!" This time he does hug me without thinking about it, and his strength is astonishing. Immediately I tense up and try to push my power, that's already pushed back, back even farther. However, it only delays the inevitable a few seconds, and the world snaps away.

 _I think this is the orphanage, there's a baby on the doorsteps. Like a really tiny version of Rock Lee, he begins to cry and a woman rushes out and brings him in. Everything spins and blurs for a moment again._

 _If this isn't the hospital, then it's something close. A maybe four-year-old boy sits on the examination table, a nondescript woman standing to the side. Then a doctor, also non-descript appears. He talks, I don't catch most of it, but I catch the words 'no ability to use chakra'. Spinning again._

 _It's the academy, he's maybe six now. The chuunin talking to him, and some woman seems... Defeated, saying something about how he could never be a shinobi. They let him in any way, and a small flash shows me they figured he'd flunk out before the year was over. Blurs whirl around me with rapid speed, flashes of his life._

 _Gai begins watching him, helping him some, or someone else that happens to wear a green jumpsuit. More of his life passes by in vague glimpses._

 _It's the final day, and he passes. Then he's with his team. He's happy, he was dead last but he's happy, and he looks so much different than he does now._

 _More of his life blurs by until suddenly I swing into consciousness again with a vicious snap._

When I open my eyes I'm on my side, someone holding a handkerchief to my nose. I can hear Lee worrying and fretting in the background, and so I assume someone else is helping me. I raise my hand and take the handkerchief from them, slowing rising into a sitting position with their help. Lee is suddenly there on my other side, and looking over I see that it is Gai-sensei that was seeing to me. Now that I'm conscious again, he's moved back enough to give me some space.

"Don't worry Lee, it happens sometimes. Not your fault. Arigatou Gai-sensei, I'd hate to have blood stains on my uniform before the day even started." Lee sighs in relief, but still looks concerned and stays near as I rise to my feet as though he's afraid I'll collapse again. With the nosebleed stopped I remove the handkerchief, which Gai-sensei takes and somehow makes vanish.

"Yosh, it was my most youthful duty to assist my newest pupil! I was most concerned as well!" He's doing that thing again, and it makes my head hurt. I check my watch and decide to distract him.

"Gai-sensei? The others won't be here for a while, maybe I could spar with Lee so you can see where I'm at." Gai beams, and goes into what seems to be a very long speech about youth before telling us we can begin to spar.

Lee seems cautious, but I take my stance and smile reassuringly. Ready, and sure I'm going to, to make a fool of myself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Gai's POV**

I had been watching Lee practice from a distance when my newest pupil arrive, while she still seemed nervous she seemed more at ease one on one. She and Lee began speaking, and from what I could hear she invited him to dinner with her and her mother. Lee was beside himself, and as soon as he hugged her I knew it might be wise to intervene. It was a correct assumption, as she seemed to have blacked out, and shortly before she awoke her nose had begun to bleed. I am proud to note that the first thing she did upon awakening was reaffirm herself of her location, and then reassure her teammate that it was not his fault.

Lee was still worried I could tell, and then she said they should spar. I was a bit shocked but proud of her youthful initiative, and to keep up appearances I made that known. Despite Lee's worry, he took his stance, and a reassuring smile from her began their battle. Lee, of course, taking it just a bit easy on her.

The first thing I noticed was, that despite being rather graceful, her stance in the traditional academy style was atrocious. I assume the only reason she passed taijutsu, even if it was barely, was because her dodging skills are fairly well developed. However, her blocking skills are equally as terrible as her offensive skills. Her dodging skills may have been born out of necessity. The tenth time Lee knocks her to the ground, I stop them.

* * *

 **Violetta's POV**

Gai-sensei stopped the fight shortly after Lee planted me onto the ground for the tenth time, and in keeping with his usual style, he did so in a very loud manner.

"Yosh, a most youthful display of skill and determination! Lee, ten laps of the village to fan the flames of your youth!"

"Yosh! Gai-sensei!" Lee took off with amazing speed and Gai-sensei watched him go before turning back to me, a little more serious of a look on his face.

"Violetta, how often do you practice your taijutsu?" Nervously I blush and look down.

"I... um... Practiced the taijutsu they taught us at the academy just a few times a week. I've been working on my own style, which takes a lot of work, and it's just not ready yet... I also had to practice dance with my mother for many hours nearly every night, we've only stopped that just recently because she injured her knee and is waiting for it to heal." Gai-sensei nods thoughtfully and strokes his chin. Then suddenly he drops into a defensive stance.

"Let's see how far you are then, perhaps I can help?" My nerves hit me hard as I slip into position. Feet much close together, but on the balls of my and weight perfectly centered. Spine straight, one arm loosely behind my back, and the other loosely raised diagonally across my chest, palm turned down. Gai-sensei appraises me for a moment before moving to 'attack', we both know that his abilities could crush me. It takes twice as long for me to get knocked down than it did with Lee, probably for a variety of reasons. Gai-sensei smiles and gives me a thumbs up.

"Your style is most impressive! Your youth is unbelievable! From now on, use this style and practice it endlessly, and you will succeed. Only with practice and confidence can you achieve your dreams!" Lee is back quickly, and Gai-sensei tells us to spar again. This time, Lee knocks me down three times, but I make him stumble twice. By then the others have arrived, and Gai-sensei does me a big favor.

"Yosh, the most youthful mother of our new companion would like all of us to attend dinner at their home tonight! I hope you two will youthfully accept as Lee and myself have!" Tenten gives me a sympathetic smile to me and nods, but Neji just glares at me and then at Gai-sensei.

"I will not be attending, I have more important matters to attend." Gai-sensei then goes deathly serious, but still coats it in his scary weird joy.

"But Yosh! I have decided it will be a team bonding exercise, and that you all must attend or you will run twenty laps of the village in apology to your teammates!" Neji then glares at me again, even more vehemently.

"Fine, I will be there." The distaste is rolling off of him in waves.

"Yosh most youthful decision! Lee, Neji, begin sparring! Tenten, Violetta, come with me!" Gai-sensei begins running and Tenten and I follow. We arrive in what appears to be a marksmanship practice area.

"Yosh, Tenten! Please take Violetta through your most youthful practice exercises to test the flames of her youth!"

Tenten begins having me through various things at the many targets. Kunai, shuriken, senbon, most of them are typical, though there are a few strange ones she has to show me how to throw. Her throws are much more accurate than most of mine, but the majority of them hit a target. Even though occasionally it's the wrong one.

Tenten is walking me through how she's a weapons specialist, telling me how it came about, and suddenly she pauses.

"Do you have anything other than kunai and shuriken? I know you just graduated, but if you had anything else or there was something you were interested in, then I'd probably be able to help you." Blinking I reach into my coat and pull out one of my hand fans, this one looks like it's made of a light colored wood. It's metal though, and the edges are deadly sharp.

"Oh..um.. well... I have these, and senbon too. They're fans, similar to the hand fans, and they look like it too. But they're metal... They go with my fighting style... I'm also working on designing these things that are kinda like dancing ribbons... but also metal..." Tenten immediately asks to see all of my fans, and I tell her I have two of each of my four kinds on me. She beams and looks them over and asks questions, finding out that I designed them with my brother's help and he found someone to make them for me. I show her the design I have for the ribbons and the problems I'm having for how I would control them and keep them both strong enough to fight with and also maneuverable enough to use easily. Finally, she realizes that maybe I should use chakra to help with them if I decide to get them. Use the same chakra compatible metal that's in my fans, but as thin as ribbon, and voila. Soon, however, Gai-sensei reappears and tells us, in way more words, to come back to the main training grounds.


	6. Chapter 6

_Her fans are different types of hand fans. Uchiwa, Sensu, Cockade Fan, and Fontage fan. (those are basically all four types)_

 **Violetta's POV**

We returned to the training grounds to see Lee looking worse for the wear, and Gai-sensei beaming at us.

"Yosh! It is now time for Neji to spar with Violetta! Lee has already done this, and Tenten has youthfully bonded with Violetta as well!" Suddenly, I want to sink into the ground. Tenten, while initially, I had been extra wary of her, never having gotten along with the girls in my grade, she was patient, and with this group, as her team, I could see where it came from. Lee was just, exuberant and genuine, and honestly could probably destroy me but was the least intimidating because he's kind in his heart of hearts. Neji however, he's terrifying and looks like he would kill the sun if he could figure out how to. I also know that unlike Gai and Lee, he's just going to throw himself into it with no regard for my safety as a brand new graduate.

Neji takes up his stance, and I take up mine again. This time a little more confident in it than this morning, even if Neji does snort at me. Gai-sensei motions for us to begin and Neji immediately charges at me. I dodge and dodge again. Landing an elbow to his shoulder I put some distance between us. He looks angry at this and charges again, I duck and roll. He's nowhere near as fast as Lee, even when Lee was toning it way down. I'm also smaller and lighter than he is, and he's fighting angry. He's also fighting me like he knows for sure I have no chance of ever being on his level. After the third block hybrid I land that puts distance between us he suddenly gets a murderous look in his eyes, and what I assume is his byakugan activates and he charges again. I dodge the first time, and barely the second time. Numbness spread through my arm near where his hand passed by. The third time, Gai-sensei was suddenly there.

"That's enough Neji." The look he gives Neji is disappointed, and then he turns to me and smiles.

"Yosh! The flames of your youth burn brightly Violetta! Let's all retire for the day, and meet near the village near five to go to Violetta's house for dinner!"

* * *

I'm waiting at the gate for my teammates five minutes before five, and Lee is the first to arrive. I'd expected that, though I know Gai-sensei is somewhere watching us. He's not wearing his training gear, instead, he's in black pants and a green button-up shirt. He has some flowers, daisies, and he looks nervous.

"Hello, Violetta! It seems that we are the first to arrive!" I smile at Lee and then I see Tenten and Neji approaching, they too have opted for non-training clothes.

"The others are almost here, what are the flowers for?" Lee blushes, but smiles as Gai-sensei suddenly appears next to us, still in uniform, dropping a hand on Lee's shoulder.

"They are for your most youthful mother as a thank you for her invitation." Tenten and Neji have arrived, and Neji looks quite displeased.

"Lee, that was really thoughtful of you. Daisies are my mother's favorite." Lee relaxes a little and Gai beams at us.

"Yosh! It seems we have all arrived! Most youthful Violetta, lead the way to your home!" Now I'm nervous again, most people that live in the village don't go to our part of it, at least not often. The part that's full of tourists, sometimes rich people, and what some people feel the need to call 'scam shops'. They're really not, everything is a fair price for what it is, just because it's not a necessity doesn't mean it doesn't have value. There are other shops as well, less touristy ones, but they're closer to the market area. So I lead the way, and I really hope Neji keeps his mouth shut.

We pass through the district quickly, the people wave, and I think a little boy gives Tenten some trinket or another. People wave and skirt around the edges of our group. Lee and Tenten seem wowed by all the things going on around us, and when we finally get to my house I turn to face everyone.

"This is it," opening the door I skirt behind my mother as she rushes to greet the group. She hugs Gai-sensei first ushering him in with me. Then she gushes over Lee and his flowers, immediately placing them in her favorite vase and writing who they're from on the place card she uses. Hugging him and pinching his cheeks she ushers him in, she does the same to Tenten, and much to his dismay Neji. Except instead of pinching his cheeks she ruffles his hair. Shutting the door she turns and claps her hands, a smile lighting up her face.

"Let's go on into the dining room then, everything is ready for supper." Mother's soft voice instructs and she ushers us towards the dining room, and Tenten whispers to me as we go, "Is she always like this?" Smiling I shrug, "Yes, she has a lot of energy."

In the dining room, we are all ushered to seats where our plates are already filled with food. Eggs rolls and fruit skewers, mother takes her seat and immediately begins asking Gai-sensei a million questions. Lee is on one side of me, and Tenten is on the other. They're talking to one another and Neji is sitting next to Gai-sensei brooding heavily. I simply smile and only half listen to the conversation as I eat. Occasionally nodding, or tuning in just enough to reply. When everyone is finished with their appetizers mother brings out the two pots of curry, and bowls for everyone.

"The black pot is very spicy, it's called 'Spice of Death', the silver pot is mild and just a typical recipe. Eat up, but save room for dessert. Now Gai-san..." As she serves everyone the kind they indicate they want, she talks to Gai-sensei. Dinner continues this way, Lee keeps looking over at me as though he's not sure how to conduct himself. Every time he does I just smile reassuringly, realizing that he probably really doesn't know for sure. After dessert Mother looks at me.

"Why don't you show them your room Violetta? Gai-san and I haven't finished our conversation, and I'm sure they'd love to see it." Pushing my chair out I smile at her, knowing full well that she has something up her sleeve, but not being worried about it. Mother knows what she's doing.

"Alright, my room is just up the stairs. It's really nothing special." I open the door and they follow me in.


	7. Chapter 7

**Violetta's POV**

The moment we entered my room an awkward silence ensued. Hostility radiating off Neji in waves, Lee looking as though he had never been in another person's bedroom before, and Tenten eyeing Neji warily for me. However, surprisingly, Neji was the first to break the silence. Eyeing the mural on my wall with curious disdain.

"Humph, did you paint that?" I look fondly at the mural of a dove and a raven intertwined in flight, forming yin and yang in the place of the moon. A multi-toned wolf howling up at it flanked on each side by dozens of different animals.

"No, my father's mother painted it before I was born. There's an inscription hidden behind the bed frame. It reads 'When all unite on common ground and follow one into the evening sun, harmony is reached, and even the caged fly free.' She painted a lot of the murals that you see around the village." Neji makes another indecipherable noise, but Tenten and Lee seem impressed. Perching on the edge of my bed, I reach under it. Pulling out my four swords and of course their unique holstering with them.

The look on Tenten's face is priceless, "You have swords too? They're so beautiful! Can I see? How do these straps go on?" Laughing I pass her the swords, and Lee joins her in her examinations. Looking to me for permission, Tenten pulls one of the swords from its sheath.

"I have them, I'm not as good as even most of the young girls in my clan. I never took to them as my weapon of choice. The straps go on in a way that puts two of the swords in a crossed position to be grabbed over your shoulder, and the other two in a crossed position to be grabbed at your waist." Tenten continues admiring them, turning the sword she has out over in her hand.

"Why four? At most, you can use two swords at a time, and most people can't handle even that. It's more usual just to have a single sword."

"Well, we use two swords at all times, at least the women do. We have several techniques that involve tossing swords, and we like to be prepared if we lose a sword or if a companion needs a sword given to them." Nodding Tenten replaces the sword in its sheath and gives them all back to me. Before any more of our conversation can be had, my mother calls us back downstairs. As we head downstairs, Neji gives the painting one last curious glance and then resumes his glowering.

The second we reach the bottom of the stairs, mother is doting on everyone again. Particularly Lee, whom I'm sure if she could my mother would adopt at this point. Eventually, everyone is on their way and save for Neji waving to us as they leave.

* * *

 **Akari Watanabe's POV**

My daughter had been given a lovely team, save the sullen looking boy, to start her off. The one boy with the endearing bowl cut had even brought my favorite flowers as a peace offering. They were all pleasant to meet, and after I sent them upstairs, I set about understanding them all a bit better.

"I often find myself forgetting that unlike the Watanabe clan, most clans don't actively find orphans permanent homes." Her sensei studied me curiously for a moment, unsure of what I meant. "You see, the Watanabe clan does not believe in orphans. I've actually never met a Watanabe child who could be considered an orphan. It takes a village you know, in fact, our clan head was never married but has ten _children_ of her own. Doing some poking around, I discovered that not only is your team orphans a few of this year's graduates are as well. Don't give me that look, it's not that hard to find out things about genin. Especially not ones that are as well known as those two. Anyhow, I want you to know that you and your students have a place here anytime for any reason at all. I'll do everything in my power to ensure they succeed as if they were my own." Pouring more sake into his and my cup, before continuing.

"From what I gather your one student is a weapons expert and buys her weapons at a shop we supply and help run, I've already worked at a deal that lowers prices for bulk weapons buyers after seeing the amounts she purchases in compared to most. I've also dropped a hint that you and Lee are family friends with the shops you buy your weights and... ehem _uniforms_ from. Now that Neji... I'm not sure there's much I can do in his way. However, he has a place here as well and if there is something I can do I won't hesitate. Now Gai-san, what do you know about my daughter?" The man gets an amazing grin on his face and begins to lament about my daughter.

"Yosh! She is most youthful and determined. Her taijutsu needs work, but is youthfully effective! Though I am most concerned about the spells of fainting and nosebleeds she says occur occasionally," based on his grim expression, I imagine he has witnessed one of them at least already.

"Yes, she is determined. The taijutsu style is a style she's specializing for her fans based on the style our clan uses for swordsmanship. Sadly, while she has made it to the minimum level required for a Watanabe woman to someday marry, I doubt that she'll ever actively proceed in learning them past the sixth of the twelve levels. I'll wait for her to decide you're trustworthy enough to know why they occur, but if she ever insists on a certain course of action, it may be best to listen. Watanabe are known for their skill in fortune telling after all." Gai nods, filing away that knowledge should he ever truly need it. We finish our glasses of sake, and I holler for Violetta and the others to come back downstairs.

Once I've thanked them all again, and given Lee an appropriate amount of doting for his kindness and cuteness levels, and they've left, I turn to my daughter.

"I believe, that you, my dear have some interesting times ahead of you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Violetta's POV**

My taijutsu was improving greatly from the mess it had been, but the better I got, the more Lee upped his game towards the level he actually fought at. In the three weeks that I had been training with the team, I still hadn't managed to do much more than block him with enough force to shove him back from me. Full disclosure, I honestly thought he did the falling back thing on purpose to boost my confidence. Tenten practiced my weapons with me the half of the morning that I didn't work with Lee, and she also seemed to fall back purposely whenever I got a good block in with my fans or make a tricky dodge. Oh well, at least I'd know how to keep myself alive through sheer avoidance even if I couldn't manage it by force. The only things I had really expanded my repertoire with, were tree-walking and water walking. Which I only managed to master because, well, I went and found Iruka-sensei on day after training with Gai-sensei.

Gai-sensei insisted that like his 'most youthful first students' I wait an entire month before my first mission. Which meant that I trained with them in the mornings, and then they left me alone to go take missions. Today, I found myself staring blankly at Gai-sensei as he wept sorrowfully.

"Yosh! We have been asked to take an extended mission outside of the village! But it would be most unyouthful of me to bring you when my other students waited a full months time! I apologize Violetta-chan, but you will be on your own for several weeks time!" Gai-sensei continued weeping, and I massaged my right temple.

"It's alright Gai-sensei, I can take care of myself for a little while. Then, when you get back it'll be time for me to go on a mission." Gai-sensei smiled joyfully at that, and bounded off followed by the others hollering things about 'youth' and 'understandings'.

* * *

By the fifth day of training by myself, I was bored out of my mind. Training by myself all morning at the training grounds was especially mind numbing, and my afternoon chakra control and capacity building exercises were as boring as they were exhausting. Evening training to work on essential shinobi skills such as ninja wire work, and the academy taught jutsu, was boring even as invaluable as it was. Night training to work on my ability was also solo, and also incredibly boring because usually it was just uneventful meditation.

Which meant, that I needed to find some way to break the boredom. My first stop today was the library instead, which a surprisingly low number of shinobi seemed to frequent. The civilian librarian gave me a suspicious glance, and I headed to find a book on very basic jutsus. I knew the ones the academy had taught us the clone jutsu, body replacement (kawarmi), cloak of invisibility, rope escape, the transformation jutsu, and of course all of the chakra manipulation techniques that weren't technically jutsu. Those were essentially all of the e-rank jutsu, because any jutsu that required chakra type manipulation or more chakra than that was automatically D-rank or higher. I found a beginners book easily enough, and checked it out with minimal hassle.

I took it to the training grounds to read, and groaned at the fact that the first thirty pages were chakra theory. This was going to be _so much_ fun.

* * *

It took four more days for me to get through the theory and has a tenuous grasp on how I was supposed to manipulate my chakra to do an elemental technique. I had mastered a singular technique to a reasonable level, the body flicker technique (shunshin) was too similar to the body replacement jutsu to be extraordinarily difficult. By the sixth day of having the book, and having checked out three more books on chakra theory to pour over(all of the ones I had clearance for), I still couldn't mould my chakra into the elements with any success. If I had more pride, like most shinobi, I would have just kept trying it without asking for help. Having the absence of an ego problem, I found myself waiting outside of the academy for Iruka-sensei's classes to be let out.

"Violetta-san, what brings you here today? I thought you had mastered water and tree walking already." Iruka-sensei gives me a smile, and motions for me to follow him back inside through the gaggle of children, most of which aren't actually that much younger than myself.

"Um, I have. Gai-sensei is out of the village, and he's not really a heavy jutsu user anyway. I'm trying to learn to form elemental chakra, and not having much luck. I read all of the chakra theory I have the clearance for, but it's barely making sense." Nodding Iruka-sensei goes thoughtful for a moment.

"I don't really have a lot of experience teaching that level of chakra manipulation, but I'm always willing to help however I can. Do you know your chakra type?" Nodding I hold up two fingers.

"Fire and lightning, Gai-sensei had me find out." Iruka-sensei seems a bit confused by that, my books had stated that most people only had one main type, and that while most people could easily use their adjacent type with practice, two main types was uncommon.

"Alright, well, I'm not sure how much help I'll be with lightning, but I know several Katon jutsu as it's my elemental type. You're going to want to start by..."

Iruka-sensei easily fell into the routine teaching me, having me mould my chakra under his careful watch. Moulding his own to providing helpful examples and diagrams. It took five days for me to be able to create fire natured chakra, and when I produced a fully mastered Katon Palm Flame, only a D-rank technique, Iruka beamed.

"Well, I think you can work on your own from here. I don't have much experience with lightning, so you'll have to find someone who does. You know where to find me if you need anymore help Violetta-san."

"Arigatou Iruka-sensei! I'll see you sometime."


	9. Chapter 9

**Violetta's POV**

It was the nineteenth day without Gai-sensei around, and I really wanted to hit my head against a wall. My flaming palm was mastered as much as it could be, and I was toying with the idea of how to light my fans on fire without risking burning myself. I'd settle on I'd have to wear heat resistant gloves, and focus the technique into the tips of the blades. I think if I actually figure it out more than just in theory, I'm going to call "Watanabe Art: Flaming Uchiwa". All of my 'cool' taijutsu moves start with "Watanabe Art", so any cool jutsu or secondary jutsu I come up with will too. Personally, my favourite taijutsu move is "Watanabe Art: Wannabe Aerial". Inspired by a family joke about a not so nice nickname people make about our last name at times. A few hours of practicing with my fans results in my ability to be

I find myself standing outside of the Hokage's office around midday, tea and treats in hand. The anbu, who assumes I have no idea he's there, is already alerting the Hokage to who is at the door before I knock. As if the man didn't know already without being told, nonetheless he calls me in within the first two knocks.

"Ah, Violetta-san, a pleasant surprise." Hokage-sama's eyes sparkle with joy when he notices that I do in fact come bearing gifts, "Is it time for our quarterly meeting already? My, my, how time has passed. Please sit, all anbu, please vacate for one hours time." I set the food down on the table, and hand the Hokage his tea. Sticking my tongue out at the disgruntled anbu as they leave the room.

"I have bbq and dango today, it seemed like what you may like." The hokage nods and graciously takes his boxes of food, unfolding the bbq and inhaling its scent appreciatively.

"You thought well Violetta, I was in fact going to order this for lunch myself. If I ever got around to it today. Now, how are you doing in developing your skills, all of them?" Grabbing my own food, I think about everything I've done in just over a month and a half.

"My taijutsu is better than it was, but I don't think I'm much of a heavy combat fighter. I'm very good at blocking and evasion though. I've been making sure all of my academy skills are perfect and then some, and I learned to shunshin. It was only a little challenging because it's very similar to the replacement jutsu. I've learned to form Katon chakra, and Iruka-sensei taught me the Flaming Palm jutsu. He says it's one of the easiest to master, I'm trying to figure out how to light the tips of my fans on fire. That's going... Okay I guess, it's not quite a new jutsu, but it's as tricky as one. My other abilities... I don't have improvement on triggering them on my own, but I've had some improvement on guiding what does hit me, or staying under for more information. I'm just bored because I haven't been on any missions yet."

Hokage-sama nodded thoughtfully, "Very good, I suggest trying to make a single chakra channel that fans out at the end. One hand at a time, I've never tried something of the sort but that is how I would go about it. You must show me when your done. Would you like to go on a mission? I have a c-rank courier mission to an outpost outside of the village. In all my years as Hokage, we've never had a courier attacked on their way there or back. Usually it's run by a single experienced Genin, but I'm sure if there was a legitimate threat you'd know it well ahead of time." Giddy with excitement, I nod.

"Arigatou Hokage-sama, I would be grateful for a mission. How long would it take?" He pulls out what I assume is the mission scroll, as well as about twenty others that I assume are what I am delivering.

"One day there, you would stay for two nights to give ample time for replies to all messages, and the should return by evening on the third day. You only need to write a basic report, events there, events back, how many scrolls delivered to whom in each direction. The green scroll is the mission scroll that you'll present at the outpost and then keep for your return home. Now..." Hokage-sama and I spent the rest of our our talking about life, his grandson Konohamaru, and what visions I've had lately that he might find amusing. He enjoyed how I knew that who several more anbu were outside of mask, and he blushed as I told him some of their extracurricular antics. At least he doesn't have to accidentally see that first hand, I did not need to know what Gai-sensei or Nara Shikaku liked in the bedroom. Even if the details were blurry.

When the anbu return the Hokage gives me a map, and tells me that I'm expected to leave in the morning. The gatekeepers will be expecting my exit from the village.

* * *

That night, I told my mother about my mission. She was teary eyed and worried, but eventually got extraordinarily excited for me. I actually start on my mission report immediately, creating a list and basic description of the scrolls I have to deliver. A total of twenty-four, a lot more than most people would generally try to carry at once. Suddenly, I remembered the gift my brother had sent me for my graduation from the academy. It was a box containing ten storage scrolls, and a special water pouch that you could seal twenty times the amount of water it actually holds into it. Normally, I would think that too expensive, but he had won them in a bet with a shinobi merchant who didn't have the cash to back up his big gambling habit. It was actually only worth half of what my brother was owed, but he considered it a fair enough trade and it got the man to swear off gambling for life. I don't use the water pouch, but I do have the max amount of water sealed in case I ever need it. I pull out two of the scrolls.

Into one, I seal all of excess gear that I usually leave at home in the first seal filling all six points, my travel gear into the second seal only five points, changes of clothes into the third seal, only two of the points, my swords into the fourth, only one point, and my water pouch into the fifth, also only one point. Into the second one I seal all twenty two scrolls, divided between all six seals at 4 points each, and then I seal that scroll into the sixth seal of my first scroll. Which of course also only takes up one point. These are actually more advanced than most standard scrolls, each with six seals with six points. Meaning they're able to store twenty four bundles of things each. Each with a master unseal at the bottom, and only the person who sealed the things in to begin with could unseal them. My brother hit the jackpot with these. I'll have to remember to thank him again. I stash the scroll inside of my coat pocket, opposite my mission scroll and the map I've already memorized.

Tomorrow is the day I show I can be trusted as a shinobi, even if it is a very low risk low pressure mission.


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks to my followers and those who have favorited since the last time I thanked you guys! I would really like some more reviews too! (Thanks Umbra99) FYI: I'm making some characters younger or older because I can._

 **Violetta POV**

Hokage-sama had not lied when he said the gatekeepers were expecting me, they had simply waved me through. They terrain I had to traverse was typical, but to prevent anyone tracking me easily I backtracked and zigzagged endlessly. Crossing through every river stream and puddle possible, it was likely unnecessary but also exceptional evasion training. It's not even beginning to get dark when I reach the outpost. Immediately a chuunin is in front of me weapons drawn.

"State your purpose." With a groan I flip my pocket open and toss him my mission scroll in a single fluid motion. He catches it easily, and visibly relaxes at its familiarity. Upon reading it he tosses it back and motions me inside. "Alright, well how many messages do we have this month?" I pull out my storage scroll, and his face is extraordinarily perplexed.

"Just the one? Usually we have a dozen or more." Unfurling it, I unseal the second sealing scroll, and then unseal the master seal. All twenty-four scrolls appear, and I replace my storage scrolls in my jacket.

"It...um... seemed illogical to carry twenty-four scrolls in a conventional manner." The man grinned, and began sorting through the scrolls.

"Smart kid, I've had jounin deliver a mass of scrolls like this that didn't think of that trick. My name is Aizo, for your report. Alright here, you take these and come help me deliver them to the common room. You haven't run this mission before have you? I think I would remember you. I'm sure you were told the details though, after this I'll show you your room. Unfortunately, you're bunking with Mitarashi-san. Here we are, the common room." In the room there are several shinobi, a few I recognize in passing. One of them is... Oh my, so that's who Gai-sensei... Ugh, better not think of that.

"Mitarashi-san, show... Oh, I didn't catch your name." He's passing out the scrolls already, leaving some on the table to be claimed later I suppose, but he looks sheepishly over his shoulder at me when he realizes that.

"Violetta Watanabe." Nodding he turns to Mitarashi-san again, "Show Watanabe-san to your room, she's bunking with you for the duration of her stay." The woman groans, but flips from her upside down position on the couch.

"Yeah, stick me with the brat why don't ya, come on kid, this way. So, how'd a cute little thing like you get stuck with a boring old mission like this, huh? Oh, you're blushing! How cute, tell me, how far down does that blush of your go? I'm just messing with you kid, how old are you anyway like seven?" She opens the door to a room, and I give her a little sneer.

"I'm almost thirteen actually, what are you four?" Giving me a devilish grin she follows me into the room and plops into the most odd position on her bed.

"Four and a half actually, but good guess. I'll be seventeen next month actually, so neh." She makes a face at me, and throws a senbon at my head. In response, I toss the small box of dango I brought with me on the bed. She eyes it with excitement before snatching it up.

"Girl, I could kiss you, oh don't give me that look. I would do much more inappropriate things for dango, I _have_ actually. See ya." Mitarashi-san disappears, leaving me to work on my mission report. After I double check I have all twenty-four scroll descriptions, I detail that I stored them safely and practically. I don't include how, one thing I know is that not every trick needs to be widely known. Besides, any shinobi worth their salt would know what options there are for that. Including then that the travel there was uneventful, and that I then passed the scrolls of to chuunin Aizo. I enscribe my arrival time next to it, and then create the layout for the information I will have to add later.

I'm done far to soon, and I so I meditate through my chakra exercises a few dozen times. Anko shows up a couple hours later, and I pointedly keep my eyes very shut while I hear a distinctly changing clothes type shuffling.

"Psst, what ya doin?" I open my eyes to peer at the woman, and her even weirder than last time position on her bed.

"Working on my chakra control, and trying to figure out how to make lightning chakra. What are you doing?" Anko grins, and flips off of her bed and onto mine. Thankfully, in a much less unique position.

"Pfft, none of your business. So you're a lightning type then?" Scooting slightly away from her, I nod, "Fire also, that I can form. Lightning I'm struggling with. Mitarashi-san, could you please go back to your own bed?"

Wiggling her eyebrows she grins in an extra unnerving manner, "It's Anko and, why? Am I not good enough to share a bed with? Kidding, Kidding, I owe you one for that dango actually, so I'll play nice. Unless of course... You want me to help you in that area, considering I can't help with lightning chakra." My blush at this point probably covers every inch of my skin, but I pull a shroud of confidence over and give the woman my best casual stare

"Anko-san, if you're really interested in that with me, you'll need to take me out to dinner first. Also, I'm on a mission right now so..." Her grin now is absolutely ravenous, and she promptly invades my personal bubble to push me back and hover over me suggestively.

"Don't say things you don't mean, as it is... Well, I should be back in the village a few days after you. I'll catch up to you and let you know when I'll be taking you on that date. The Inuzuka aren't the only ones indiscriminate on gender." With a wink she moves back to her own bed, and leaves me to wonder what the hell I've gotten into. With Anko Mitarashi of all people, I haven't seen what she's into perse but I know what people say... Oh well, it's not like I didn't know the Inuzuka thing anyway, the Watanabe clan head is married to a woman after all.

* * *

It was the day I'd been scheduled to leave, and I had just finished cataloging the scrolls I was taking back, sealing them, and writing my leave time when Anko flounced into the room. I flinch a little remembering how she'd threatened one of the guys that kept pestering me, half a centimeter higher with that senbon. Though, I was also grateful because he was making me want to punch him. She'd also gotten permission for me to run a perimeter check to see what it was like. It'd been enthralling, but uneventful.

"So, my cute little friend is leaving today, I'm sad." Giving me a pouty looks she perches on the desk, and that look immediately vanishes when I produce the second small dango container I had brought with me. "Better?" Taking it she nods, "Much better, in fact..." Pulling me rapidly, and unexpectedly up by my collar she plants a kiss on my cheek. Disappearing a second later, probably to eat her dango in peace.

I head out, waving goodbye to Aizo, and the others I see in the common room. Repeating my pattern of weaving around to avoid being tracked. Halfway back to the village, I run into see unprecedented trouble ahead.


	11. Chapter 11

_Anko mostly likes to just mess with her, also she gave her dango, but even aged down I haven't decided if they'll be actually romantic interests or not. Meh, it goes where it goes, right?_

 **Violetta's POV**

 _'Three figures, with bare descriptions whispered in the back of my mind. C-rank missing nin, taijutsu specialist. D-rank missing nin, taijutsu and ninjutsu user. B-rank missing nin, taijutsu and weapons specialist... Facts keep whispering on a loop. I meet them up ahead... There's no avoiding them-'_

I snap out of it and pull out my ninja wire, dropping down and making a quick set of traps with that and other things. I go back up and run towards where I saw myself meet them, and sure enough they appear straight out like morons.

"Alright genin, hand over your information and we'll let you live. Don't and we take it by force." They aren't even in battle stances, like they expect me to just comply. I imagine they want the three reports on border activity, and changing of the guard information, but they won't get it or anything else. I toss a smoke bomb wrapped in a gum wrapper, all of my smoke bombs are in wrappers, to the leader. She sees the wrapper, and thinks nothing of simply knocking it away humour written on her face.

"Catch me then." It explodes and I race to the opposite side of my trap field, and they race right into the middle of it, minus the highest ranking one. Well, I'll deal with that later. For now, I activate my traps by knocking my foot against a wire. Pretty soon they're both strung up, unconscious, but by then I'm already dodging their teammate. She lands a brace of senbon between my ribs, missing her mark of my vital points thanks to a last second dodge.

She's fast, but not as fast as Lee can be. My shunshin skill hasn't been tested in battle yet, but I manage to put some distance between using a kawarmi followed by a shunshin. Pulling out a brace of shuriken, she gives me a killer grin, "Little girls shouldn't play with adults, the boss will be disappointed if I don't manage to bring in information transported by a puny genin. Now, one last chance..." When I don't waver, but instead pull out my Uchiwa fans she growls. I'm still not able to set them on fire, but I can heat them to extreme temperatures, that still won't burn through my fire retardant clothing, thank you cousin Amethyst for that suggestion. (I named it "Watanabe Art: Charring no Jutsu) So I do that, and flatten them like shields against my forearms, not quite touching my clothes for now. I flip and twirls them with ease to block her kunai, which smoke from the heat of my fans striking them. She charges angrily, but I just block and back pedal. Dodging and ducking with everything I've got. Shunshinning when I can, but knowing I can't land a hit on a B-rank taijutsu specialist. But hell, I could probably dodge an A-rank that wasn't trying to outright kill me. She's not killing me, probably because she doesn't know where all of the scrolls are stored, and wants someone who might be able to help translate the encryptions. Genin or not, I would know the basics of Konoha communications.

A bad dodge leaves me with a kunai in my back, one in my thigh, and a throwing star in the side of my calf. I shunshin back in the direction of my trap circle, and vault into the middle of it to dodge the sword she seems to have produced from thin air. Probably some sort of jutsu so people don't know she has it on her. A sword, I know how to handle. She periodically throws kunai at me as I easily dodge her blade, she's only a level four by Watanabe standards, mediocre even by shinobi standards. However, I nearly falter in battle when one of her own blocks sends several kunai at her teammates. One hits the taller on in the jugular, and the other hits her companion in the skull directly. Despite probably having seen many companions die, she too does a double take. Which allows me to get a solid hit in, she's suddenly fighting angrily, but it's too late. She's fallen into the only untriggered trap, a senbon paralysis trap. A few seconds in, and one more kunai to my shoulder leaves her paralyzed, her teammates dead, and me injured. Carefully I let her teammates down, and collect everything that I can. I pull the weapons from my body, and put slapstick bandages on them. I seal her dead teammates into the leftover spaces in the message carrying scroll before resealing it into the other scroll. Taking a few moments to catch my breath, I add this event to my mission report quickly while I do. Then, I pick her up and carry her back to the village with me. It's night fall by the time I arrive, and I head straight for the Hokage's office. I'm immediately let in, I don't even have to knock.

"Hokage-sama, I regret to inform you that I have inadvertently messed up the part where you've had no issues with this courier mission. Fortunately, I brought back a person who can probably better explain why that is." The man suddenly looks even older as he takes in my injuries, and motions for anbu to take the woman from me. I set my mission report on the table, and simply write at the bottom time delivered, already having written 'to hokage' there. I pull out my storage scroll, and unseal the second scroll. "The messages, as well as... her teammates bodies are in this scroll. Only I can unseal it should I...?" The Hokage nods, and when I unseal everything he motions for another Anbu to take the bodies away.

"Violetta... Did you kill those men?" I shake my head, "A block gone awry by their teammate while they were unconscious in a trap resulted in their deaths."

"Very well... I see your report is done, and includes the events that occurred in your battle with them. When did you have time for that?" Wincing I nearly have a heart attack when an Anbu sets a chair behind me. I gratefully sit down.

"After the last opponent was neutralized. I needed to rest momentarily, I thought it best to write while everything was fresh in my mind." Rubbing his temples the man looks at me with pure concern, and then picks up my report to finish reading.

"Ah, that makes more sense as to how you bested three nin, all of whom outranked you either in experience and or skill level. Taking out only two using traps was unlucky, your report is more than adequate. I will have an anbu drop your mission payment, as well as their bounties, in your room. Please report to the hospital immediately Violetta, your mother might see fit to murder me if you don't. Take care." As I exit his office, he adds one more thing.

"And congratulations on completing your first mission, you now have one A-rank mission on your record. After you are cleared for training, report to Kurenai Yuhi for training, until then I will have a list of easy solo D-rank missions dropped off at your home after I compile it." I bow painfully, having forgot the first time, and head to the hospital. He's right, but my mother might still show up to yell at him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Violetta's POV**

Gai-sensei and the team returned on the first day on my two day stint in the hospital. They'd been gone for twenty-three days (two days too long), and he wept at my side. Going on about how I had been unyouthfully injured, but had fought most youthfully. After the others had left, Lee brought me flowers the absolutely sweet heart, Gai-sensei got very serious.

* * *

"Hokage-sama has not yet released the information on your mission to higher ranking shinobi, but has informed me that you may disclose the details to anyone chunin or higher if you so desire. I would very much like for you to share this information with me." I nod, and motion for him to sit down.

"I ran into some missing nin, D, C, and B-rank. They wanted the scrolls I was carrying, I managed to catch two in a trap leaving them unconscious, and me to fight the B-rank ninja. I lead her into a trap as well, but no before suffering injuries, and not before her blocking some of my own kunai resulted in her teammates deaths. The mission was classified as A-rank, but likely would have only been B-rank had I not been alone." Gai-sensei is very, very, pale. He's gripping the hospital chair hard enough that I hear splintering.

"Violetta, you realize that most genin could not have managed something like that. They would have been killed." There's a very interesting loose thread in my blanket.

"I probably would have been killed by the B-rank nin, had she been trying to kill me. I was not carrying the scrolls in a standard manner, and she likely wanted someone who may be able to help translate the scrolls. She was trying to detain me and get the scrolls, and after accidentally killing her teammates she became irrational and backed into a senbon paralysis trap that I was taught by Tenten. The nin was smart for not trying to kill me, the scroll automatically incinerates all contents if someone other than the sealer tries to remove the contents." Not looking very reassured, Gai-sensei stands wearily and ruffles my hair.

"There's a chunin exam in a month and a half, you may want to look in to competing with a head like that on your shoulders and luck like that on your side." With that Gai-sensei leaves, and I have a feeling I won't be seeing much of him for awhile.

* * *

The hospital worker informs me that I'm not allowed to train for five days, and I nod. When I arrive home, my mother's not there, instead there's a note.

 _'Since you're finally a true shinobi, and have taken your first mission, I am going to meet up with your brother and grandfather in their travels. I will write you soon. Per the usual Watanabe rules, the house is now yours legally until such a time that I return for good.'_

About time, she's been wanting to travel again ever since I graduated. A lot of moms do things like that. There's money in my room to be deposited, and a list of missions I can do if I want, and so I leave again. The man at the bank gives my bandages sympathetic looks, and does a double take of the amounts on the slips. My bank account now looks quite impressive.

The first thing on my mission list is, painting a wall. That's easy enough. The man who runs the shop is kindly, and smiles at me. Giving me the paint, and telling me not to injure myself more on his account. The wall doesn't take long, and so I check it off and write a report. There are twenty odd jobs to go through yet.

Each day I complete four and turn in my mission reports and receive my pay for them, it's fairly boring and monotonous. It speeds the days along though. Finally, I check back in with the hospital at the end of the fifth day for my official all clear. I receive it, but get told to take it easy on my right side for a few more days at least. Tomorrow, I meet Kurenai Yuhi and whoever her team is.

* * *

As it turns out, I would have to wait another few days to meet Kurenai's team. They'd left the village for a mission during my recovery time. So after running into Ino, I train with her until it was time for her to go get a mission, since her team can't be bothered to do any actual training. She had actually been the most tolerable girl in the academy, if I'd known her teammates were so unmotivated I would have hunted her down for training long before now. Then, with only a month left until the chunin exams would start, I went to bug the Hokage.

"Violetta, is there something that you needed?" With a bow I move to stand in front of his desk.

"Hai Hokage-sama, I was interested in taking the upcoming chunin exams." The man heaves a sigh, and rubs his temple.

"I was afraid of that, standardly, in Konoha exams we have a strict three man cell requirement. For you to compete we'd have either find you two teammates, or we would have to compromise and allow incomplete teams into the exams." I turn the wheels in my head quickly, thinking through logistics and politics of different decisions. Finally, I land on an option.

"Or, you could compromise and say that all competing villages can submit one incomplete team. I'm a solo rookie female kunoichi, who has only D-ranks and a very accidental A-rank. It's not like you're submitting the Uchiha prodigy solo and going around your own rules. They can't call favoritism with a first generation ninja."

Eyes alight he picks up his pipe, "That's actually quite brilliant, and it's not as though they wouldn't also be getting the opportunity to submit an incomplete team. To supplement your training, with Team Gai, Team Seven, and Team Eight out of commision for a little while now, you'll be training with Team Ten next instead. However, I will also be finding you someone to work-"

"Hokage-sama, I know who I would like to work with outside of team training. Anko Mitarashi, special jounin. Team Ten doesn't train much, they just meet for their missions and go out for BBQ after. I'll figure something out with them though." My suggestion of Anko leaves the Hokage with an odd palor, but in nods his acquiescence.

"I hope you know what you are getting into Violetta-san, I wish you the best of luck."


	13. Chapter 13

_This is slightly filler, but also necessary._

 **Akari Watanabe**

 _Dearest Violetta,_

 _I have made it in record time to your grandfather and brother's current stop, though no doubt we will be leaving again soon. I already miss you deeply, but it has also been years since I've been able to spend time like this with them. There are friends along this path that I had thought I may never see again, but rest assured that I will write you often and expect that you will write when you have the time as well. I hope to hear many amazing things about any of your new teammates, missions, and your life in general._

 _Much Love, Your Mother_

 _P.S. Kaito insists he's much too old to send you doting letters, but he misses you very much. The notes of his I went through show that he's working diligently on ways to improve your fans and design those ribbons you seem to want to try. I imagine he'll have them finished in no time. Also, in what world is there an age too high to be doting? Let alone a world where twenty-three is that age, I'm quite certain he's simply being difficult. Your grandfather sends his love, and the gift being carried with this letter. Send a response back with the crow as soon as possible, he gets antsy if they're gone too long._

* * *

 **Hokage POV**

That Violetta was a clever little thing I mused as I checked over her shinobi stats, with all the updates recommended by her sensei and warranted by her missions. They were average in most areas, but she worked diligently at everything she set her mind to and kept all of her skills well practiced. Only knowing the academy jutsus, shunshin, and flaming palm despite her clever thoughts of modification didn't do much for her ninjutsu score with her low amounts of chakra in consideration. Two chakra types was a small boost though. She was however neither near the top nor bottom of her age group in that regard, even if her insistence on technical perfection of each technique that she learned (not just in ninjutsu) was beyond parallel. She was a mostly solid 2.

Her taijutsu was slightly below average in her age group, but if blocking and dodging skills were their own category she'd best most people well above her skill level. I have no idea where she learned that level of evasion other than simply out of necessity. Luckily she had a unique enough style that it would give her a slight edge in fights with unfamiliar opponents. A respectable, but improvable, 1.5.

Genjutsu wasn't an area she showed interest in, other than breaking them successfully of course. Whether or not she knew it, the genjutsu she'd broken for her academy had been an extra special test to deduce whether she was as skilled at spotting them as I thought she was. The overall illusion only one minor change, the color of a single group of flowers in a flower shop. She'd spotted it quickly and easily, and she had perfect mastery of the chameleon technique. A solid 2.

Intelligence was her highest score. I had purposely not calculated the fact of her gift into the equation, but it was impossible not to consider how she utilized knowledge she had to her utmost advantage and calculated every possible contingency without seeing it directly with her gift in milliseconds. Shikamaru Nara was a veritable genius who had only ever been bested in shogi by his father according to his current sensei, according to Iruka Umino she had seen the girl beat the boy in under ten moves twelve times in a row and he refused to ever play her again at recess. He'd covertly given her I.Q. tests, but could never get accurate results as she flew through them like she'd done them a million times. It couldn't be ascertained if she was that smart, or if she saw it, but beating a Nara at shogi? An impeccable 5, and if he could give her a higher score her would.

The girls strength was low, as was the strength of a lot of kunoichi's early in their careers. Training with Gai had improved it beyond its virtual non existence, but her extremely small size, she was a solid three inches below average and looked perpetually underweight in a way that somehow looked perfectly normal among most girls her age in her family, and dancer like technique's made her less of a hard hitter. The similarities to jyuuken users gave him pause at times, that flaming palm technique might have been a brilliant idea actually. He had wondered why Iruka had taught her one of his least favourite techniques, that man knew his students well. A 0.5.

Speed was a different matter entirely, her build, background, and work ethic made that aspect astounding. While minimal difference in their abilities made a lot of difference, she was mostly outclassed by Lee's taijutsu prowess not his speed alone. Otherwise, she would never have had a chance to block anything. Let alone that she could dodge the hits of an A-rank shinobi long enough to lure her into a trap. Her 3 would likely only continue to improve.

Her speed likely also derived from the fact that Gai, as well as her academy instructors insisted that while she was occasionally shy and nervous, her personality bounced around in odd but predictable ways, she had no quit. In fact, she had less than no quit. The girl was known to push beyond her limits, then push some more, and then some more, until there was no way to push anymore. That made her stamina high in regards to most genin, but still not as high as some due to her low reserves. A respectable 2.5.

Hand seals were an easy score, her dextersity was high due to clan training as well as being a kunoichi. She had learned the seals to flaming palm with ease, despite one being quite advanced, and according to Iruka she progressed easily to needing no hand signs due to impeccable control. On par with Sakura Haruno, who I simply believe lacks the knowledge that she could do her jutsu without hand seals, a 4.

An overall 19.5, only half a point higher than Nara Shikamaru, and without her advanced intelligence she was right on par with where she should be. It was sheer calm tenacity that set her apart, sure some of the others had tenacity in spades, but they boasted and bragged and that was mostly the boys. Perhaps she'd have an influence on Ino, whom she was apparently training with right now according to my son who had payed me a visit and was confused as to why Ino felt the need to supplement her training. I'd let him ponder that on his own. I was trying my best to come to peace with letting her compete alone, I had faith in her. If anything, I knew she was lucky enough to pull off at least surviving without a career ending injury.

* * *

 **Violetta POV**

I was being death glared by Ino, and it was not that intimidating. She had complimented my outfit, covering and fashionable and complimented my natural thinness. She then complained about the biting wind and so I commented on how she should get more appropriate clothing. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Well, it's less impractical than Sakura's in a battle sense, but very impractical in a protective and technical sense. It's pretty, but again a little impractical."

Ino looked slightly aghast, "Well, what do you suggest I wear then?" I tap my chin thoughtfully.

"Well, my cousin Amethyst made my outfit. It wicks moisture, maintains natural body temperature in heat and cold, is fire proof, water proof, and is breathable and flexible. Lots of visible pockets and hidden pockets too. She owes me a favor so..." Ino's eyes light up a the prospect, and she immediately links her arm with mine.

"Alright, but can I still get something without sleeves? I hate sleeves. Or well, I hate hiding my arms. A sheer fabric maybe..." I lead the way to the shop, this is going to be fun. Now all I have to do is convince everyone with terrible outfits how terrible their outfits are. Sure, mine that I wear in village is purple, but I have different more practical colours based on the task. If only Amethyst could perfect that colour changing fabric she thinks is brilliant.


	14. Chapter 14

**Violetta POV**

Ino had looked absolutely shocked when Amethyst informed her that the colour purple she wore, was not really her colour at all. She took it in stride though, and luckily for her Amethyst had apparently recently designed a perfect outfit for her. The outfit she produced as the starter, until she could complete one identical and ones in the same array of colours for different climates she had for me, was quite beautiful and practical. A pastel blue accented with dark blue and pastel pink mesh.

Ino's dislike for hiding her arms, namely her upper arms because that's not what those lower arm covers suggested, meant that a pastel pink mesh with the same properties as my own clothes made up her sleeves. The top was like her old one but in the pastel blue with dark blue buttons and trim, and instead of a turtle neck it went down and covered her stomach. The skirt was form fitting and flexible, in pastel pink, and the tights were the same light mesh as the sleeves in the opposing color. The hidden pockets in her top were almost as covert as my own, and the four pockets on her skirt were deceptively small looking in their dark blue color. Ino was beyond thrilled.

"Kawaii! I look even cuter in this! It's so comfortable too Violetta, I have to rush to meet sensei, but I'll see you tomorrow neh?" Ino hugged me and vanished, dropping extra money into the tip jar on her way out.

 **Asuma POV**

Ino... What was the old man saying about that new girl not being like most? The first thing she did was reinvent Ino's look, I'll admit it's more practical in some ways. It looks distinctly more civilian, and much warmer, but those colours...

"And I'm getting in a lot of different shades that match my skin tone and different climates!" Ah, well, at least Shikamaru and Chouji are the one's she's prattling to.

 **Violetta POV**

Anko was impossible to find. Yesterday, I had considered it a fluke that I couldn't find her after training with Ino and picking out her new clothes. Settling for spending a few hours working on chakra control and helping cousin Amethyst and her daughter Lavender with Ino's clothes order instead. Then spending several hours meditating and trying to figure out my stupid visions.

Today, I met with Ino bright and early, but as she's not a morning person I wait to talk until after our run is over. "So Ino, how's it going?" Huffing, she dropped down beside me to start our stretches.

"Meh, sensei took us out for barbeque again last night! Even if I wasn't on a diet, who wants to eat just barbeque all the time?.." She kept talking about her team, and training, and how she wished they were more motivated "...Gah, how are you so flexible?" I laughed as I looked at Ino's attempt at the Killer Praying Mantis.

"Lots of practice, you'll get there. Probably." Rolling into a standing position, I help Ino up off of the ground. "Ready to spar?" Shoving me playfully she drops back into position and I follow suit.

"Ready to kick your butt, shorty." My glare could probably cut glass, but she just laughs at me and launches into her kata. It's a fairly even match, I'm faster than her but she's very slightly stronger, and she has a size advantage... Like everyone else. It takes nearly two hours of sparring for us to call in quits and fall into our cooldown stretches. Ino grumbling on how soon she'd have to meet 'the lazy bastard, baka-sensei, and the fa- Choji'.

"You know you love them, no matter how much you complain. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Ino gave me a chagrined smile at that statement, but agreed and sashayed off to meet her teammates. Now, I just have to find Anko. Hmm, where's the nearest dango shop?

* * *

I had checked all of the dango shops with no results, and so I settled onto a bench in the park. Closing my eyes I pulled my legs up to sit criss cross, settling my hands into the familiar cradle position. Searching for my center I leveled out my chakra, pushing out kinks and blocks where I could. I began trying to trigger my gift. Not that I actually knew how to do that, I've had much better success with suppressing it most of the time. Now however, I let go of it and wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, I get frustrated. According to my mother, great-gran had never had this problem. She was able to trigger and control her gift on a whim. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she had only one been able to see into the future. Suddenly I decide, that I should just get a mission instead of dwell on it.

The walk to the mission center didn't take very long at all, and lo and behold... Anko. She's arguing with the man at the missions desk, looking vehemently angry, and so I edge around her to try to talk to the woman at the desk instead. It doesn't seem like a smart idea to bug her right now.

"Hey, you! Wanna go on a mission with me? Fuck wad here is being difficult. No solo missions available my ass." With what is probably a slightly shocked look on my face, I look at her. What the... Maybe triggering my visions doesn't work the way I think it should, I'm definitely going into the attic later to find gran's journals.

"Actually, I've been looking for you, so sure. I'm only a genin though, limited options." Slapping her hand on the table she turns back to the man.

"You heard the girl, she's game. Give us a D-rank for now, hop to it." He looks terrified as he begins searching through the papers on his desk. Anko turned back towards me, "So, what were you looking for me for? Did you miss me already?"

"Uh, well, I was hoping you'd consider training with me in the afternoons... Or whenever works for you I guess." Anko gave me a peculiar look, like she was puzzling out whether or not I was being serious with her. Luckily, she was distracted for a few moments when the man handed her the paper with our mission on it.

"I'll think about it, let's go."


	15. Chapter 15

_People who are reading my story rock, it's been going slow for about five chapters now in terms to progression, but it'll be a little more normally paced after this._

 **Violetta POV**

Anko is not as confusing a woman as she may come across to some people. She's loud, brash, both intentionally and unintentionally perverted and flirtatious, intimidating, and just a little bit socially awkward in an endearing way. Much like Naruto Uzumaki from my graduating class, it all covered up some self esteem issues, estrangement problems, and in her case a lot of psychological stuff I'm not sure I want to try and delve into. I looked up at the sun, it was nearly three o'clock now.

"So, if I agree to teach your tiny ass what's in it for me?" Why does everyone think I'm small? I'm really not that small.

"I'll make you lots of dango?" She seemed thoughtful for a few moments, before getting a scary look on her face.

"That's great and all but... I think you'll also make sure everyone knows how amazing of a sensei I am, defend my honour to those who would besmirch it, work harder than all of the other kids so I can brag about you to the other jounin, and since I forgot about it until just now- go on that date with me." The look she gave me clearly implied that she thought I would say no to her terms.

"Alright, I'll make you dango, tell everyone how amazing you are in general- because you'll be my shishou not my sensei, defend your honour, work hard enough to be brag worthy, and go to dinner with you-but not a date because frankly Anko-san you're not really my type and it'd be inappropriate anyway." Anko looked positively befuddled at that, and at first her voice came out as a quiet, confused, delicate whisper. The odd basket thing of grain nearly slipping off of her shoulder in her distraction.

"Your shishou?" Shaking herself and straightening up, Anko gave me a grin, "Alright! I demand at least one dango per day, one instance of you bragging about me per day, at least one thing to brag about you per day, and I get to pick where we eat dinner." Fair enough, I actually expected her to be less reasonable than that.

"Deal." Anko stared ahead for a few minutes, and turned to me again.

"So, what training do you usually do everyday?" I stopped and thought.

"Well, my first fews weeks I trained intensely with Gai-sensei in the mornings. Primarily taijutsu, speed, and weapons. Then while he and his teams were on missions I would practice chakra control and endurance, as well as all skills I have already mastered. Shortly before my courier mission I began morning training with Ino Yamanaka instead, as Gai-sensei was absent. After my courier mission, I was on leave for awhile because of my injuries. I am supposed to be working with Team Ten, but I already sent the Hokage a note about that. As essentially I am still only training with Ino, the rest of Team Ten seems to be quite lackadaisical. I am still completing my afternoon and evening training alone. I believe I will likely be slated with training in the mornings with Team Seven or Team Eight beginning tomorrow. I could take a mission with you after lunch, and then train, or train and take late missions." The silence that followed was long, and slightly awkward. Anko soon found some sort resolve, and nodded firmly.

"Mission first, then training. Gives you some recovery time. I'll stop by and see the Hokage, and make your apprenticeship official. Anyway..." Anko gives me a sly little grin, "I've decided that we're going out tonight, I'm supposed to meet some others to catch up. And I certainly can't pass up the opportunity to show off you now can I?" We stopped at our destination and made brief conversation with the elderly man, and then headed back home. Anko stopped and gave me a mock salute, before she could talk I interrupted.

"I can take care of the mission report right? I like doing them." Positively beaming Anko nodded.

"You're the best protege in the history of proteges. I'll see you at the Silver Lantern at 7 o'clock sharp." Anko vanished, in that leafy way that upper level shinobi do, and so I pulled out what I needed to make my mission report and wrote as I walked. Walking back to the village instead of running would give me time to practice, but still get me into town early enough to freshen up. Glancing up towards the sky I smiled, things are going pretty well.

* * *

Nervously I shuffled to hide slightly behind Anko-shishou, who had decided that instead of meeting me at our destination she was going to come and retrieve me. Currently she was in a staring match with a man I believe is named Genma, he was working the outpost and he works the gates a lot.

"Anko, you cannot bring a kid in here. It might not be against the rules, but this is a tavern. What the hell is wrong with you?" Not cool, it's not like I am actually going to drink or anything. Also, I'm not a kid, by clan standards I'm nearly old enough to get married. Besides, one of my cousin's runs the place.

"Uhm... There's nothing wrong with Anko-shishou, but if you make her mad enough there will definitely be something wrong with you. Hopefully, the medics will figure out what it is in time though." Genma gave me a wide eyed and slightly angry look.

"Anko- _shishou_? What? Anko, did this kid just call you _shishou_ and then _insult_ me?" Knocking him in the shoulder, and then using him as an arm prop Anko grinned.

"She sure did Genma, girl has bigger balls than you do. Don't you remember her from the outpost? And it's not an insult if it's true." With that, Anko pushed herself away from him and led me inside, where I saw several shinobi who were fairly familiar. Namely the very loud Maito Gai attempting to challenge the man who starting tomorrow was going to my morning sensei- Kakashi Hatake.

"Yo boys, meet my new shadow! Violetta-kun this is-" Anko is unable to introduce me as Gai-sensei loudly gasps and clutches his chest.

"Violetta! It is most unyouthful for a young woman like yourself to be in a place like this! It is unbecoming! Anko-san what were you thinking?" Why does everyone seem to think I can't be here? I can be where ever I want.

"Anko-shishou was thinking that she knows what she's doing. I'm thinking that my cousin owns the place so what anyone else thinks doesn't matter." Gai weeps dramatically at my 'unyouthful' sassiness, but Anko gives me a thumbs up. I do feel a little bad though, I get very testy in situations like this. The man who was blatantly reading and Icha Icha book looks up and drawls out a sentence.

"Yo, It's nice to meet you... Oh Gai, when did you get here?" Why... He's never going to stop fake weeping if you do things like that. Anko takes a seat, and ushers me to do the same, but before she can a very large hand is planted on my shoulder. Everything snaps away, but not before I hear a slight panic stir around me.


	16. Chapter 16

**Anko POV**

What the fucking hell? The kid had collapsed when Asuma, the asshole, dropped a hand on her shoulder. Every muscle in her body was tense, and her breathing sounded painful. Gai insisted there was no need to summon a medic, and simply helped roll her onto her side. Apparently, he'd seen it happen before.

"What the hell is this Gai?" Solemnly the man shook his head, and shot Asuma a dirty look.

"I have no idea what it actually is." Well fuck.

 **Violetta POV**

 _I could smell the trees, and the grass. A young boy was standing in front of me, he looked like a very tiny Asuma. Turning I looked around, it was the academy induction ceremony. Kurenai, Kakashi, Gai, and many other familiar shinobi were there. Asuma looked nervous, but I smiled. Even now, I can see that he and Kurenai will be a pair someday. The scene evolves, and I watch him graduate, and get his team- I called it, and he seems... Almost tired at even such a young age. Slowly I walked to the door of the academy, reached for the door handle, and willed it to open. A particularly blinding light leaves me standing in an unfamiliar field, a teenage Asuma sparring with an unknown man. I'm very glad I found gran's journal on vision navigation._

 _Those sashes... Those are for those who guard the Land of Fires Daimyo, aren't they? The Twelve Guardian Ninja I believe. Who's that man he's with?_

 _"Chiriku, are you-" I don't bother to listen to the rest of their conversation, instead I look around, until I spot a puddle a few feet behind me. Stepping up to it, I hold my breath and jump. The sensation of drowning makes me wish I had thought through that more, but the next scene is even more interesting. He's standing with the Hokage, shoulders slumped, but face determined._

 _"I'll do it." The scene shifts to my own graduation day, and he leads Team Ten away. Instead of following, I walk over to the window, climb up, and jump. Falling is much preferable to drowning I note sardonically. This time, I'm somewhere I know must be the future. A blurry man, who I don't think is wearing a shirt is fighting with Asuma... It's so brutal. I puzzle out that his name is Hidan, and gods is he crazy. Oh gods, Asuma he's deadDeadDead. I've never seen someone die in a vision before, my eyes water and I stumble back. Tripping over something or another I stumble back. My power over the vision snapping out, and sending me through a painful spiral of random memories and images. Just like every time before. I feel myself snap back to reality, only knowing pain._

* * *

Anko-shishou is hovering over me, a cloth to my face. Before I even open my eyes, I raise my hand to take it from her. Forcing myself to sit up, I wince at the sheer amount of blood I see. Not pretty, and a lot more than usual, it must be from trying to navigate, or maybe because I saw-

* * *

 **Anko POV**

The kid seems like she might be fine when she first comes to, but suddenly she goes ashen and makes a noise akin to a whimper. She won't answer me, on any of my damn questions, and before I know she's managed to bolt using shunshin. Kakashi wrinkles his eye at me.

"You picked an interesting student Anko-san." Damn straight I did, what would be the fun in a normal one anyway?

 **Violetta POV**

I slammed the door to my house closed, breathing uneven and body shaking. Stumbling my way into the downstairs bathroom I empty the contents of my stomach, this isn't right none of it is right. Seeing someone die when it hasn't happened yet, when you know it's not a genjutsu, it's just not right. Not right. Not right at all. Falling backwards I curl into a ball in the corner of the bathroom. I don't have enough pride to care about sobbing like a small child right now.

At some point the tears run out, and I'm just sitting numbly. Cold from the where I sat against the tile, all the way down to the marrow in my bones. I'll stop it, if I find a way to stop it I'll do it. Kurenai's going to have his baby after all, and babies deserve both parents around. It's nearly two in the morning when I work my numb body into functioning enough to go throw my bloody shirt into the wash basin to soak, almost forgetting to remove my weapons. Not feeling strong enough to redress yet, I throw on my mother's housecoat. The familiar scent and weight more comforting than I would have thought. I sit in silence at the table until a noise at the window catches my attention.

* * *

The bird is perched on my shoulder haughtily, nibbling at strands of my hair. Irritating little thing, but he does his job well. The small package on the table contains 24 very small vials carefully labelled vials and what appeared to be an instructional packet. I write a reply as quickly as I can, feeding the bird a small piece of fruit before sending it on its way. Looking at the package I smile solemnly, leave it to grandfather to send me a dozen obscure concentrated poisons and their antidotes. The contacts that man has will never cease to amaze me.

I still have nearly two hours before I meet Ino for our now extra early practice before I have to meet Team Seven at their training grounds at eight, I might as well read that instructions packet on those poisons...

 _Poison Number 776, Blood Infection Poison, Does not lose effectiveness with air exposure, see page seven for weapon application instructions. Side Effects: Prevention of Coagulation, Immediate wound area numbness, raised veins spreading from wound, body numbness, temporary paralysis, difficulty breathing, other side effects unknown. Fatality Potential: Within Ten hours from single contact point if left untreated. Antidote Number 773-6. Poison Number 832..._

Sadly, the only poison that seemed weapons compatible with my fans was the first one. I'll deal with that tonight before bed, I need to shower and get dressed. Carefully sealing the box of poisons I tuck it away.


	17. Chapter 17

**Ino POV**

Violetta was really off this morning, she was moving like every muscle was being stabbed into by a few dozen senbon needles. She was unfocused and sloppy, and clearly exhausted. I can't tell if the redness under her eyes is from lack of sleep, excessive crying, or perhaps both.

"Is something wrong?" Her head jerks up at me, eyes wide, like she'd forgotten momentarily that she wasn't alone. "Violetta?" Shaking herself a little, she gives me a very unconvincing smile.

"I'm fine Ino, just a little distracted. I've got to head out to meet Team Seven, I'll see you tomorrow?" Bolting off, she doesn't even let me respond.

"I guess, what's up with her?"

* * *

 **Violetta POV**

I was thoroughly paying for not sleeping last night, as well as spending so long in a cramped position. The genin members of Team Seven had all beaten me to the bridge, but their sensei was nowhere to be found. Sakura, gods I hate her, was the first to greet me.

"Good morning Violetta-chan! You're right on time, " she went venomous for the next part, "unlike some people." Naruto joined in her grumbling about their perpetually late sensei, and my eye twitched a little.

"Uh...How late is he usually?" Sasuke grunted, giving me an apathetic look, "By a couple hours at least." That's not, alright, Anko-shishou might be seeing me early today.

"So... What do you do while you wait?" They all gave me confused looks, that means they do nothing. I thought Ino's team was bad, didn't Sasuke and Naruto have really big life goals?

"Ah, well, I've got to go..." Quickly vanishing I go in search of Anko-sensei, whom I find at tea shop. She gives me a concerned look for a second, but it vanishes quickly into anger.

"What the hell happened last night?" Really, I should have seen that coming. However, I don't have a good excuse at the ready with the level of my exhaustion.

"Um... I don't guess that you'd buy that it was nothing if I bribe you with dango?" Snarling at me she stands and grabs me up by the front of my jacket, drawing the attention of many passerby's and the shop owner.

"Listen here, either you spill, or we're gonna have a problem. Got it?" She shoves me back slightly when she releases my jacket, the barest amount of killing intent radiating off of her. Unable to meet her eyes I shuffle nervously and stare at the toe of my shoe. I know that I wanted her to become my shishou, even though she's not that much older than me it was normal in our clan for your teacher to be fairly close to your age, but does that I mean I trust her with my life? The Hokage must, or he wouldn't have agreed to this arrangement...

"Uh...Can we take a walk to my house?" Nodding Anko falls in step beside me, still angry enough that it's radiating off of her in waves. Oh, joy.

* * *

The walk had been silent and uncomfortable, but we were finally at my house. Leading Anko inside, I slip off my own shoes and she follows suit. Going into the kitchen I begin making tea for the two of us, setting a tray of dango in front of her. Once we're both settled, I take a deep breath. I wonder how crazy she'll think I am.

"I can see into the past, present, and future." Anko spits nearly spits her tea out, choking slightly. "You can what?"

"You probably know that my clan is looked down on for some of our practices, particularly our various ways of fortune telling. I have visions, like what you saw last night though not all as violent or obvious, of the past, present, and future. You can't tell _anyone_ , and the only people who actually know other than my family are you, the Hokage, and Iruka-sensei." With an eerie calmness Anko sets her tea cup down and stares at me.

"Uh-huh, what causes these 'visions'?" Honestly, I do not blame the woman for her skepticism.

"Sometimes, they're random and small. Other times, random and big. They can be triggered by stress and by physical contact. A lot of the time, I'm not sure when the little visions happen. They're often tacked onto the larger visions, glimpses and pictures of things that don't quite fit. My intuition and instinct are also very accurate. If you really don't believe me, I can prove it." Amusedly, Anko gives me a devilish grin and leans forward.

"I won't ask what you saw last night, you looked traumatized so if you want to talk about it fine if not whatever, but you were on Gai's team for awhile... Who's he seeing? There's a betting pool." A positively undignified snorts escapes me, leave it to Anko.

"Well, it's a chuunin... You were working with them at the outpost, they ran perimeter with us... If you want to catch them together and prove it, my cousin Iana just got a part time job at the diner they usually go to, every third Thursday of the month, I can pull a favour for her to stall them." Gasping Anko clutches her heart,

"Neh, that'd be terrible, but do it! Now, are we talking the Inuzuka or the man-child? Cause my money is currently not on neither one of 'em."

"The Inuzuka, what other betting pools are there?" Watanabe's are firm believers in gambling but only if you can win, and a Watanabe always wins.

"There's one on if Asuma's got a girl or not, one on Kakashi, whether or not Iruka's got a crush and who on, there's more but those are the ones I'm in on. For the record, I think Asuma is single as hell, Kakashi is too damn awkward for that shit, and Iruka is too innocent and single minded." Wrong, on all counts Anko.

"Asuma is seeing someone, but I can't tell you who yet. However, pick his left front pant pocket if you get the chance. Kakashi isn't seeing anyone particular, more one night stands, and Iruka most definitely has a crush on someone who is his polar opposite." Reaching her hand out and poking my arm, Anko gives me a snarky look.

"Well shit, I'll move my bets around. Who's Iruka got a crush on?"

"You." Dead, silent, awkward stare.

"No way in hell, I'm like five years younger than him." My turn to give Anko a look.

"That's not that far apart, especially not in ninja years. Besides, you certainly don't look or act your age Anko-shishou." Narrowing her eyes, Anko reaches out over the counter and shoves my shoulder.

"Fine, I'll buy it. Let's crack down on this training of yours tomorrow, you look half dead. Thanks for the dango!" With a swirl of leaves, thanks Anko, she gives me the peace sign and vanishes. She's right, I'm dead tired.

* * *

The night was filled with nightmares, but apparently a missive I barely remember sending reached the Hokage, and now I'm training with Team Eight after Ino. Who I couldn't train with today, because she sprained her ankle 'terribly'.

"Shino-san, how are you?" His glasses glint as he twitches with my sudden appearance at his side.

"I am well, Violetta-san." I had almost forgotten what a mess this poor thing was.

"And how're the little allies doing?" Twitching again, Shino sighs before responding.

"My allies are in peak condition, the queen has just recently finished her latest breeding cycle. It has increased my capacity three and a half percent. " People are always less standoffish and nervous when they're in familiar territory.

"That's good to hear, how do you feel about your teammates?" Probably shouldn't have asked that, but Shino was the only kid in school whoever talked to me. Ino's my friend now, but before we graduated she'd just never noticed me.

"Hinata's shyness is most concerning, and Kiba is much too brash for comprehension. Kurenai-sensei seems to be a more than adequate teacher thus far. Our team work is quite strong however, why you ask? It seems very important to Kurenai-sensei that this skill in particular is mastered."

"Maybe that's because your team is designed to track, you'd need team work for that more than a lot of things. You're also an excellent match up of range skills. Hinata is close range, Kiba is mid to close range, and you're mid to long range. Teamwork is necessary to your success."

"It is likely your assessment, like most others, is correct. Kiba and Hinata are approaching." Not looking forward to this, not looking forward to this, Kiba hates me, Kiba hates me, and Hinata is too sweet to have to deal with this...

"What the hell is she doing here?"


	18. Chapter 18

So sorry guys for not updating often! I was working full time plus overtime in the summer and then I started college. I've been working two jobs, taking 21-credits, doing a work study, being secretary/treasurer of the student senate, on top of living truly on my own for the first time. Needless to say, the first semester of college was rough but fun! I've made some great friends and gotten some really good life experience under my belt. One more semester to go, and then summer externships before I'm done, so I can't make promises on updates but I'll do my best.

* * *

 **Violetta POV**

"What the hell is she doing here?" Shino arches his brow at his brow teammate, and Hinata goes wide-eyed in shock.

"Kiba, animosity is unnecessary. Violetta is meant to be our teammate for the foreseeable future." Growling and baring his teeth Kiba eyes me up and down, taking a half step closer.

"A-ano, Kiba-kun... M-maybe just ta-talk to Kurenai-sensei? There's n-no need to be violent..." Still tense and growling Kiba takes a very small step backward, Akamaru gives me a sympathetic look. I honestly don't know why Kiba hates me... Maybe it's an Inuzuka thing...

"Good morning! I see you've all met your new temporary teammate. She'll just be working with us in the next few weeks leading up to the chunin exams. Questions? Kiba?"

"Yeah, how the fuck can we get rid of her sooner?" Kurenai looks aghast and I shift nervously as I feel something tick at the edge of my consciousness.

"Kiba! Language! What's your problem?"

"I want her gone, and yet here she is, that's my problem." Shoving past me nearly knocking me to the ground Kiba begins to storm away, and in nearly knocking me down he knocks me into the vision that was pulling at my consciousness. I barely feel Shino catch me as I tumble down into a temporary blackness before the vision begins.

 _My mother walks through the village gate, flowers braided into her hair laughing with my brother as my grandfather grins and take a swig of his sake bottle. Her sword sparkle at her sides and her shoulders, their pastel purple, and silver casing the epitome of pristine. My brothers own swords hang loosely and cattywampus on his hips. His sketchbook shoved under the edge of his belt, as though he's sure that will hold it in place no matter what. Grandfather wears his business clothes still, pressed neatly and short swords hidden carefully away. Mikari rushes up and throws her arms around my brother who spins her around and laughs with her, holding her close even after he sets her on the ground. My mother looks to where I am watching the scene from suddenly and grins, "I'll see you tonight little one, bring your team with you." My grandfather looks at her oddly, but nods in the direction she spoke as well, knowing better than to question a woman's intuition._

"Violetta? Are you alright?" Still, in Shino's arms, he's holding a handkerchief to my face while Kurenai tries to rouse me.

"I'm alright, anyway... I was going to ask you all to dinner at my house tonight, you can bring your family if you like. I'd meet you all at the gate at five p.m. If training is done before then of course." Shino is still standing closer than he would typically feel comfortable with, but he pushes his glasses up and nods.

"That would be favorable, I will send an ally to inform my father and mother of this. Violetta-san Do these attacks occur often?"

"Um... Usually not very often. Lately, I've been having a bit of an issue but I should be able to resolve it soon."

"I see, Sensei, how will training proceed for the day?" Kurenai eyes Shino oddly, and me with concern before answering.

"First I'd like to say I accept Violetta's invitation to dinner, and I am going to require that you all attend. Whether or not your family attends is up to them. We'll be doing a teamwork exercise. Hinata and Violetta versus Shino and Kiba. Hinata and Violetta will be the pursued team, and Shino and Kiba will be in charge of attempting to apprehend them. Hinata and Violetta will be given a ten-minute head start. Go."

* * *

Hinata and I moved almost in synchronization in the same direction, and when I figured we were safely out of Kiba's earshot I motioned for her to stop. One minute down nine to go...

"Alright, firstly, Shino remove your allies or I will regretfully have to smash them in the kindest manner I can." I spot the little black bug from Hinata and myself fly of back in the direction we came. Hinata's mouth hangs open in shock.

"A-ano... How did you know?" I give the girl a slightly appalled expression.

"Hinata, he's an Aburame. They use their allies for nearly everything. Now, on to business. I've been in this situation before. We're going to set up traps right here then run for our remaining time until they catch up and then loop back through the traps. Got it?" Hinata nods and immediately follows my directions to begin setting up traps. We work easily and efficiently as a team, I don't make her nervous the way most people do and I'm just assertive enough to lead in a situation where the other person is essentially incapable. Three minutes left, I set off a smoke bomb as I yell for Hinata to follow me.

I continue running periodically throwing out smoke bombs, which hopefully will dissipate enough before Shino runs into any of the clouds. Actually, scratch that, his allies being out of play would definitely work in our favor.

It doesn't take the boys long to catch up to us, if I was running alone it might not have even been possible, but Hinata's speed and endurance aren't built up the way mine is for running and evading. The second I know they're behind us, I motion for Hinata to loop backward with me. Now the real fun begins.


	19. Chapter 19

**Kurenai POV**

When she'd had them stop running, I had been very concerned about Violetta's methods. However, I was very impressed. She seems to be not quite shy, more unsure of herself in the way many girls her age are, but instead of hiding it behind a false bravado she just rolls with it. She's also just confident enough to lead when she has to but would easily fall into position following someone she knew was competent. Added to the fact that Shino has great respect for her, she seems impressive.

 **Violetta POV**

The first swing would have blindsided Hinata if I hadn't told her to activate her byakugan a few seconds before. She launches towards me after blocking Kiba's swing, and I launch over her in return to trigger the first trap. Effectively capturing Shino unaware in his 'safe' hiding place and distracting Kiba long enough for Hinata and me to delve deeper into the web of traps.

"Violetta-san... How did you know..." Hinata looks nervous, scanning the area with her byakugan to determine when Kiba frees Shino from the trap. Our hiding spot isn't so much meant to be effective as confuse them, something Hinata was confused by herself.

"Know that Shino would be in that spot and that our diversion would work? Special skill of mine. I'm going to engage directly when they show up, cover me and activate the traps in the order I told you to, you remember it right?" Hinata nods and then signals me that the boys are coming.

As soon as they enter the clearing I make my move, taking an over exaggerated swing at Shino. He dodges easily, putting distance between us, but Kiba takes the bait as expected. He immediately launches into fang over fang, and while Hinata activates the trap sequence that will put Shino out of the game I begin dodging.

This technique was the blurry part in my thought process, to unpredictable and wild to really be planned for in the grand scheme of things.

Once I see that Hinata has Shino effectively subdued and is back on the run away from Kiba and I, as instructed, I activate the final trap series. Wires swing up into the path of Kiba and Akamaru, as well as sporadically placed tree branches and rocks strung out on them. Kiba simply pulls out two kunai in an attempt to get through the mess of wires. Akamaru is knocked from his course, stunned and unable to get his bearing. In a moment of concern Kiba too is knocked off course, and his Kunai are knocked out of his hands as well. I see what's going to happen in the same split second I'm moving. Hitting the disengage on the wire traps, I dive towards Akamaru and catch him. Covering his tiny body with my own, I feel the first kunai make contact in my shoulder. Going into a tuck and roll I land in front of Shino's prone form and take the second kunai to the opposite hip.

Laying Akamaru down gently, I carefully feel for the damage from the kunai. I can hear Kiba come up behind me, and I carefully move over to allow him to check on Akamaru himself. Then, I throw a shuriken to disengage the trap Shino is trapped in. Once he's free he insists on looking at my shoulder and hip wounds. It's not long before Kurenai-sensei and Hinata arrive at the scene.

"Well, since Hinata escaped and Violetta would have as well had she not chosen to protect Akamaru and Shino, I believe the girls win this round. Very creative thinking in how you made sure you'd be able to escape, and I'm also very proud that you realized that making sure your teammates weren't seriously injured in a training exercise was more important than winning. I'm going to dismiss everyone early today, it's not quite lunchtime, but with Violetta's injuries I feel it's best. I expect to see all of you at the gate at five o'clock sharp." Kurenai-sensei then disappeared in a whirl of leaves, no doubt to go see Asuma for her own lunch.

"Kurenai's assessment is most accurate, and I believe thanks are in order to Violetta for ensuring our safety in exchange for her own," Shino's comment earns a glare from Kiba, but Akamaru escapes the arms of his companion and all but tackles me with his tiny puppy kisses before going back to Kiba. Not expecting anything from Kiba himself, I carefully stand, trying not to jostle the kunai in my shoulder and hip.

"Well, I should probably go see the doctor. I'll see you all tonight." Walking carefully, I don't make it very far before I hear tiny footsteps fall in next to me.

"Akamaru! Where are you going!" Kiba stalks up and attempts to pick up Akamaru, but the puppy barks somewhat angrily at him. I stand slightly frozen as I watch the exchange, the following conversation is essentially indecipherable, but it ends with Kiba stalking off and Akamaru barking up at me and nudging me along. Waving with confusion to Shino and Hinata I allow the small puppy to lead me to the hospital.

* * *

The wounds weren't particularly terrible, and I was released with instructions to be more careful. Akamaru still insisted on following me, and so I brought him with me to find Anko-shishou and bring her dango. She immensely enjoyed the dango, and seeing Akamaru. I took the opportunity to tell Akamaru about her, knowing very well that just like my grandfather's crows he could understand everything I said. Talking to the small puppy held in my arms, I grinned at Anko's bright eyes.

"Akamaru, this is my Anko-shishou. She's the best Kunoichi, and one of the best ninja I know. She's in charge of bringing me on missions and making sure I'm safe. Since you won't go home and want to stay with me, you get to go on our mission with us. She'll keep both of us safe because she's the best at her job."

Anko grins at me and begins questioning me about my day as we head to the mission center. She seems a little miffed that I was injured, but with a little reassurance, she seems to calm down. Although, I have a very good feeling that Kurenai-sensei will be getting a lecture in the near future.

The missions office had set aside a few missions for us to choose from, and Anko and I chose a simple endeavor involving cleaning the hot springs surface of any garbage. On the way there Anko asks if I know how to walk on water.

"Yes, I found Iruka-sensei one day when I was having trouble learning after Gai-sensei asked me to learn tree walking. Iruka-sensei got me to master both before the end of the day, and he taught me how to stick with my hands too." Anko nods, a whimsical little grin darting across her features at the mention of Iruka.

"Right, well then we can split up clean everything. Try not to rip your stitches and yell if you need me. Don't forget that you're in charge of the mission report."

* * *

The mission went without a hitch and we were done by one-thirty, and by the time we got back to the tower, I had the report completed. Anko-sensei turned it in to keep up appearances, shocking the missions clerk, and we went on our way to get some training done. As we were walking I had an idea.

"Oh, Anko-sensei, would you like to come to dinner two nights before the chuunin exams? I plan to invite everyone I've worked with, parties are traditional before Watanabe's undertake anything that can be considered a rite of passage and the chuunin exams isn't usual for us, but my birthday is also that day and thirteen is the age Watanabe's are considered to have come of age so... What do you say?" Anko looks a little shocked and confused, but shrugs.

"As long as there's dango I'm down, you'll just have to remind me. Because if it's two days before the exam it'd be in what... Three weeks? Yeah, too far to remember on my own, that's your problem." Laughing I nod and set Akamaru gently on the ground by a tree, getting ready to spar with Anko-shishou. Who, despite my injuries, is probably not going to take it very easy on me.

* * *

I had been right, and Anko had gone as all out as was safe for me, and then sent me home at four o'clock when I informed her I had a 'team dinner' at five o'clock. Heading home to see my mother and clean up, I beamed, after tonight the next three weeks are going to be an intense cycle of training.


	20. Chapter 20

**Akari Watanabe POV**

Kaito had run off with Mikari for a while, and I had seen him nervously fiddling with the ring box in his pocket and eyeing the swords he had had crafted for her where they stood against the wall before they left. I saw him pick them up last minute and bring them with, telling Mikari he needed to give them to someone. About time.

Twenty-three is a bit old for a Watanabe to be unwed, especially since they've been friends their entire lives and been dating for nearly ten years. I can only hope that Violetta won't stress me nearly as much about getting married at a respectable age. She told me her first day at the academy she had met the boy she'd marry, but I never heard another mention of it and don't actually recall the boy's name, but I always had a feeling that whoever she was talking about was, in fact, the right person.

My father came into the house then, carrying the groceries I had sent him to retrieve.

"Akari, where's your mind at? It's certainly not on the fruit you're cutting. You'll lose a finger." Smiling at him, I set my knife down and begin sorting groceries with him.

"Nonsense, if I was going to lose a finger I'd have done it a long time ago. Now help me make dinner, Violetta ran into one of the neighbor children and had him deliver me a note saying who to expect. We've got an Aburame boy, and his parents, and their lovely baby girl. Then we have the Inuzuka boy, his mother, sister, and their ninken. Then that little Hyuga girl, who she says will be escorted by her dreadful cousin. Of course, the sensei will be here as well. She also says that just before the chuunin exams she'll be having a party since she'll be turning of age, and she sent me that list as well. It's going to be a hectic month, but I already sent the list to Miza to get invitations made and she says that she'll have them to me before five o'clock tonight. Which is splendid. Now, get to chopping, we've got work to do."

* * *

 **Violetta POV**

I can hear my mother and grandfather in the kitchen when I arrive home, and I'm immediately bombarded with hugs. My grandfather goes so far as to lift me fully off the ground as though I'm still a little girl. Mother then insists I go over my day, as of course she's heard about every other one in the month and a half she's been gone, of course, she expected to be gone longer but it is nearly my birthday after all, but anyway, has anything exciting happened today? After recounting my day to her, and receiving some trinkets from grandfather I head to my room to quickly clean up, a tiny Akamaru still determinedly following me. Once, I'm cleaned up and changed, I let my mother know that I'm going to fetch everyone. Which is bound to be thrilling.

When I arrive at the gate, just a few minutes before five, and with Akamaru gently tucked into my arms, only the Aburames have arrived. Bowing slightly I smile, "Shibi-san, Mai-san, and this little one must be Shai-san. She's beautiful." Mai-san contrasts her stoic husband and son dramatically and beams at me, her bright clothes outshined by her smile.

"Arigatou Violetta-san, it's a pleasure to meet you. Our son speaks very highly of you, and I would personally like to thank you for your actions in training today." Shibi nods his agreement, as does Shino before he calmly states the obvious.

"I agree, and I see you are still in possession of Akamaru. I doubt Kiba is pleased by this, his animosity towards you is as great as it is unwarranted." Shrugging, I pet Akamaru's soft fur gently as he lets out a sigh.

"It's alright, I'm not unfamiliar with his behavior. He's also not the only person who acts that way towards me, but perhaps Akamaru will be able to sway him to civility. Speaking of the Kiba, I believe I see him as well as Hinata coming our way with their companions." The Aburames turn to validate my statement, except for Shino who was likely already aware of this because of the allies he hides on his teammates to ensure their safety. I can see Kiba's scowl from here, and his family doesn't look pleased either. Wonderful, at least Neji warmed up to me a bit when we trained together, he doesn't always look as though he wants to kill me any longer. Luckily Neji and Hinata are much closer than the Inuzuka's.

"Good evening Violetta-san, it has been awhile since you've trained with our team. Will you be joining us again any time soon?" Despite not saying it I can hear what Neji means clearly, 'I don't want to be here but there are clan heads present and so I should behave and while I'm here, also can you please come to distract Gai and Lee so that they'll stop making me want to commit homicide every two seconds?'

"Good evening Neji-san, I may pop in some time but currently I'm training with team eight and my shishou. My mother has also returned to town and I will be expected to train with her as well, but you're welcome to join Ino and me at our early morning sessions if you'd like. I'm sure Gai-sensei would let you out of training once in a while if it was to further the skills of younger shinobi. And Hinata-chan, how are you this evening?"

"A-ano... I am well... I apologize that my father was unable to attend, he had other matters to see to with the council." Giving Hinata a reassuring smile I shrug.

"It's alright it was very short notice for me to have expected everyone to be able to attend-" Unfortunately Kiba's angry growling cut our polite conversation short.

"Give me Akamaru Watanabe." Smiling delicately, and attempting to hide my small amount of panic at his anger I attempt to placate Kiba.

"Good evening Kiba. I apologize for keeping Akamaru, but I've been attempting to get him to return to you all day and he refused. I imagine he simply wanted to make sure that I didn't injure myself any further after this morning. Right Akamaru?" Akamaru gives a tiny affirmative bark and then gives Kiba a reproachful bark before jumping down and engaging in what I assume is a recount of today's events to Tsume's ninken, which is a bit too advanced for me to follow any longer. So, to avoid awkwardness I smile at everyone, and motion for them to follow me.

"Alright, this way everyone, my mother's expecting us."


	21. Chapter 21

**Violetta POV**

I had nervously led everyone to my home, trying to ignore the fact that unlike Akamaru the other ninken were very large and very obviously wolf-like, Neji had already been before and so he kept pace by my side. Shooting looks back at Hinata to make sure she kept up and looks back at Kiba as is daring him to try anything while he was standing there. He might not like me very much, but I'm pretty sure in his head the only one allowed to give me hell was him. Ugh, boys. However, my hope that no one would comment on the area of town I lived in was short lived. Goddamn Kiba.

"So, the waste of space lives in the bullshit district. It's a wonder they let someone like you even enter the academy let alone graduate. The people here are nothing but liars, thieves, criminals, and scum. A bunch of wannabe samurai-" Neji stopped dead in his tracks and lifted Kiba right off the ground by the collar of his shirt.

"Watch yourself Inuzuka, you're wearing on my patience." Dropping Kiba unceremoniously Neji continues walking and for a second I forget to follow.

The rest of the walk is mostly uneventful, a few women and young girls stop Mai to admire her baby and gift her with things, and a few boys gift Hana, Hinata, and Tsume with trinkets as they are not as obviously taken as Mai is. Two of the girls our age gets especially brazen and one gifts _Shino_ with her hair ribbon, while the other gifts _Neji_ hers. Oh goody, their faces when we get to the house and they want me to explain these things are gonna be great.

My mother throws the door open as soon as we enter the gate, and ushers us all into the backyard. Giving Neji a hug first, and reminiscing on how long it's been since she's seen him. She follows quickly with everyone else and how wonderful it is, bowing politely to the clan heads, and to Tsume's surprise her ninken. Asking his name and the others politely, Kuromaru seems extremely pleased at his recognition as my mother gets everyone seated.

"Name's Kuromaru. You raised a good pup, she tell you what she did today?" My mother tips her head, as she sees my brother, grandfather, and Mikari enter the backyard to take their seats as well.

"Oh thank you very much, and all she told me she trained with team eight and got injured, but she was fairly vague. Why do you ask?"

"First thing Akamaru did when I saw 'im was tell me how she took two kunai to keep him and Shino from gettin' hurt. One in the shoulder an' one in the hip. Good thing he did too cause I was goin' to scold him for runnin' off from the runt, but he said he just wanted to make sure she didn' hurt herself no more in she already had. Something about how she doesn't know when to quit." My mother laughed loudly as she passed the dishes around the table.

"No, she doesn't, I'm afraid she gets that from me. However, she gets the rest of her personality from her father. Rest his soul. You know she didn't get it from me. Takes things far too seriously for that. Now, Mai-san, I see you have a little girl! How wonderful, and I also see you received all of the customary gifts on your way in."

Mai-san smiles and nods, some of the trinkets still being worn and others tucked away in her pockets.

"Yes, it was quite odd. The people here are very kind, I can't believe I haven't visited before. Although, I don't believe I'm the only one who received gifts." My mother gives me expectant look, that clearly says that I should explain everything to everyone for her.

"Hai, when a woman has a daughter it is hailed as a great accomplishment in our clan as we are very matriarchal. It is seen as a rite of passage to bear a child at all, but it is seen as a privilege to be gifted a daughter. We give gifts that are considered sacred and promote life, happiness, well being, and strength. We give similar gifts as well as others to boys before they leave at ten to begin traveling duties, and to girls when they come of age at thirteen, and to both when they go through events of importance. Such as mastering the sixth level and twelfth level of swordsmanship, or get married, or accomplish a great task. Such as when I graduated the academy. The rest of you ladies received gifts from boys your age, and younger too, they gift them to women, or men, that they see may not have a partner. They symbolize both their recognition of your strength of mind and spirit, but also that wish you the best. In some cases, such as Hinata and Hana's it is also a subtle gesture that if the right gift is given can be considered a courtship offer, which you both received. However, men in the Watanabe clan typically wait for the woman to confirm her interest before attempting to formally court her. Unless you're like my brother. Shino and Neji were given hair ribbons from two girls our age, which is how a Watanabe girl expresses interest in a boy when she is either not of age or he is not of our clan. So basically, Mai was given gifts that show she and her daughter have the support of our clan if they should need it, and the rest of you got flirted with."

Everyone nods thoughtfully, but Shino and Neji look shell-shocked while Hinata is very red and Hana looks smug. Tsume breaks the silence first.

"So... Why didn't Shibi get anything?"

"Ah, because he is considered to already have been given the greatest gifts the universe can offer him. A strong person who is his true love, and strong little girl to carry on the heart of his true love for years to come. There's nothing they could give him in their eyes that could compare, and of course, the ninken weren't gifted anything as we believe all animal companions to be sacred in their own right and believe our mortal gifts could never compare to the life the universe has blessed them with."

Tsume looks a bit shellshocked at that also but grins and looks at Kuromaru. "Hear that? You're sacred! Ha!" She grins again and turns to me, "So why didn't Kiba get anything from any of the young ladies, eh? And who was the young man that flirted with Hana, she definitely needs a man." I look at my mother for help at this point, but she and grandfather are busy talking to the Aburame's and Hyuga's about clan affairs and intervillage trade situations. While Hana and Kiba are both focused on me, although Kiba is definitely focused in a bad way.

"Well... I imagine that has to do with the fact that news spreads quickly here. After what he said I'm surprised he wasn't challenged to an honor duel, they probably recognized Neji as someone I've come by with before and figured that his actions on my behalf were just enough for a first offense. And that was one of the clan heads sons, leaf clan head, not the high clan head, adopted, of course, she's married to a wonderful woman from the Akimichi clan. He's one of the highest level swordsmen in the clan, he's even better than most of the women. He's nearly nineteen, which is a bit old for him not to be married, but my brother, who is right there and lost in his girlfriend's eyes is twenty-three and just got engaged so... He's not doing that bad if you look at it that way." At the word engaged my brother and Mikari snap their heads towards me and their jaws drop, and the entire table goes silent.

"Vee, you weren't supposed to know that! I just proposed today!" Shrugging my shoulders I shoot my brother a grin.

"Hey, not my fault she's wearing the ring on her hand right now. I'm a lot of things, but blind is not one of them big brother. Besides, you've been mailing me about what ring you should get for her traditions and what swords would go well with it for ours. You're welcome by the way Mikari, he almost went with amber." Pretty soon the whole table, minus Shibi, Shino, and Neji, is laughing at that. Congratulating my brother and Mikari, and at the end of the night, I feel like Kiba wants to murder me a little less. He even tells Akamaru he can stay the night if he wants, which he does.

My mother sends everyone on their way with an invitation, and gives Neji the rest of Team Gai's, making him promise to deliver them.

These next three weeks are going to be amazing, and I can't wait.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's POV**

For the next few weeks, Violetta's life settled into a rhythm. At six a.m. until eight she trained with Ino, and a few times Neji or one of the others dropped in as well as the news spread that anyone was welcome. Then she would train with team eight until noon when she'd grab a quick lunch and find Anko-shishou to take her on a D-rank mission. After their mission, Anko would train with her until six p.m.. Then she's head home for supper and training with her mother until eight p.m. She'd then work on her personal exercises and meditation until ten p.m. With the chuunin exams very nearly there, her sensei's told her to train however she liked in the final few days before the competition. That's of course around the time when the most interesting things began to occur.

 **Violetta's POV: Five Days Before the Exams: The First of the Six Trials**

Early this morning my mother had cornered me to remind me of a very important fact, the coming of age trials would begin today. As it was a Saturday, and my birthday was on Monday, and the party that night, the exams were five days away. Or to put it more concisely, they began the morning of the sixth day. The first trial was blindfolded solo combat against my mother and her second, my aunt Mara. She had come all the way from her own village for the day, and my mother had informed Anko-shishou that she needed to be present as my shishou. She'd let the other sensei's, even Iruka, know that they were welcome to attend and observe the trials each day as well. She'd also informed everyone that until further notice, I wouldn't be training with them. Which would explain why yesterday they had told me I shouldn't attend regular training. The second trial of the day was one that could take until the final trial, I needed to find a second. Someone who could stand beside me in battle and know my every move as if it was their own. It was something I hadn't even given a thought, I was a shinobi, not a civilian. In an attack, I would be expected to act as such, so I had no idea who I would choose.

Currently, I stood in the center ring. In full traditional Watanabe regalia, including my hair, makeup, and swords perfectly in place. I was a little shocked how familiar these dancer's clothes felt after so long, the long flowing fabrics something that most shinobi would never consider. Anko, Gai, Iruka, and surprisingly Kakashi stood off to the side, judging my skills from a shinobi's point of view. They had brought their students as well, well Kakashi had only managed to wrangle Naruto into coming, and Shino's mother had come (my aunt had immediately showered her with praise and instructed Naya her eight-year-old daughter to keep an eye on her and get her anything she needed despite Mai's protest's). Tsume and Hana had come with Kiba, as well as their ninken who I once again tried to ignore the sheer size and wolflike-ness of. Ino stood there uncomfortably, as neither her sensei nor her teammates had come. It was rewarding to know that even though most of my own family couldn't attend as they lived in far away villages or weren't permitted to attend due to their age (you weren't allowed to know what the trials were until you would have the skills to complete them), that they all thought it important to support me as their teammate.

I knew Tenten was also excited to see Watanabe sword work, and Lady Lan the clan head had brought her daughter to talk to Tenten after to see if she'd like to apprentice with her at her workshop in her free time. At my suggestion of course. In all of my nerves I almost didn't hear Lady Lan announce the start of the ceremony, the chakra suppressant cuffs at my wrists began to tingle painfully as she spoke.

"Welcome, honored guests. Today marks the first step to Violetta Watanabe becoming a true woman. Able not only to defend herself in battle but her clan and her village as she is also a shinobi of the leaf village. The Watanabe have a story I wish to impart all of you with on this day, as her comrades and her teachers, in order to understand the culture this girl comes from."

"Long ago, when the world was new and resources were scarce, there was turmoil. The civilian women and children could not defend themselves, and the samurai of that time had no code. Few do even now, though many claim to. Among these civilians were the Watanabe's, traveler's who were shunned from all the places they went. The men traveled and bartered their goods, learning trades and creating wonderful things, while the women performed and created joy. However, these were still dark times. While the men were away, their swords at their sides, the women were often left defenseless, sacrificing their own lives to save their children. They began a practice then, of building villages with walls where the women and children stayed behind. They stayed until the boys began their travels, or until the girls began their search for husbands. These villages were still not safe from harm. One night, a girl heard a ruckus in the street. Some ruffians had broken into a house and were dragging a woman out into the street while her children screamed for her from their burning home."

"This girl refused to hide away as she'd been taught by her father and brothers, she refused to live in fear as her mother and sisters did in this dangerous world. On the ground, she saw one of the men's blades, picking it up in the same way she had seen her father and brothers do for many years, and she approached. Yelling for the men to unhand the woman, they laughed at her. The first one lunged, but her distraction had worked, and the women ran into the burning house to save her children."

"Despite her bravery, the young girl was no match for four men who had been born with blades in their hands, but word of the commotion had spread. As the girl lay bleeding, and the men laughed, something magical happened. The women of the village emerged from their home, wielding blades their husbands had left behind or gifted to their young sons. They had looked at the bravery of that one girl and realized that they needn't be helpless, that by standing together they could defeat any odds. So together they stood and drove those ruffians from their village. From that day forward, the Watanabe taught their daughter's the art of the sword. Taught them to defend, and they soon realized that the skills of the women of the clan almost always surpassed that of the men. Because the art of the sword is rarely an act of brute force, but something far more feminine that few men can truly understand."

"So I hope you understand a little more, and now we begin this battle and rite of passage." My mother and Aunt Mara immediately moved into position, and I slipped the blindfold carefully over my eyes. Waiting for the sounds that would signal my mother and Aunt Mara had begun their attack.

My mother moved first and I snapped a sword out of its holster easily to block her, snapping the second one out to block my aunt. It went on this way for what felt like hours, and in reality, this trial does last three hours. My mother and Aunt Mara moved like a flawless team, never missing a step with one another, and keeping me on my toes every second. As time went on the pain from the chakra suppressing cuffs became almost unbearable. It was all I could do to block with my swords, let alone go on the offensive. Finally, Lady Lan calls out that time is up for the battle. That I have proved myself capable in a battle with unfavorable odds.

I snap the blindfold off and remove the chakra cuffs quickly. Hissing in pain as they come off, pain shooting through my wrists and hands. My mother and Aunt Mara immediately engulf me in hugs, and I can see the pride on Anko-shishou's face from here. The other's look impressed as well, Watanabe sword skills are nothing to scoff at. I just don't have the confidence it takes to wield them in every battle I face. My fans are more comfortable and familiar to me, and always will be.

Lady Lan steps forward, "Having completed the first trial, Violetta will now be tasked with finding a second before the final trial she will face in two days time. Tomorrow she faces two more trials, but these are trials to which few should bear witness. Instead, simply support her in your hearts rather than with your presences. Best wishes all, and Violetta I suggest you prepare for tomorrows trials if you can."


	23. Chapter 23

**Anko's POV**

The kid was impressive, and so were her mother and aunt. If everyone in their clan fought like that, then I definitely didn't understand why more of them weren't shinobi. I was most impressed by the fact that the kid had fought that entire time, not only blindfolded and outnumbered, but with chakra cuffs on. Those things are a bitch, and the pull of them draining off chakra leaves nasty burns, which I could see the moment she took them off. However, it was obvious that she was uncomfortable, and lacked the confidence of the level of confidence possessed by the those she was fighting. After thanking everyone, she used the excuse of the damage to her hands and wrists to escape the crowd. But the poor thing would have to try a lot harder to escape my questions.

 **Violetta's POV: Day one of Trials, Still five days to Exam**

Everyone else had let me go, obviously noting my exhaustion and the damage to my wrists and hands. Anko-shishou, was not having any of that. She followed me diligently all the way to my house, digging out the first kit and all but shoving me into a seat at the kitchen table. She none too gently jerked one of my arms to her.

"I can do it myself you know, it's just bandaging." Scoffing Anko-shishou gives me a sly grin.

"Bullshit you can. When it comes to your own cuts and scrapes you only do slapstick bandage jobs. It's one thing in the field, but goddamn it when you've got time do it right. It heals better when you do. Now, what are these next trials I hear about?" Rolling my eyes, I make sure to keep my arm where she wants it so she won't jerk it.

"In the morning they'll give me a serum that will make me temporarily forget about the trials so that they can put me through a test and make sure that my decision is the same even if I don't know what's coming. It'll wear off sometime around lunch. Then they'll put me in a padded little room in the trial hall, and give me another one. It simulates a genjutsu, but it really is unbreakable. It makes you relive the worst moments of your life and your worse fears over and over again for roughly eight hours." Anko-shishou's face had gone a little pale at the second part, but she nodded grimly.

"Sounds brutal, you sure you're up for it?"

"Yeah, I think I'm ready. I'm more worried about what I'll do about finding a second." Nodding thoughtfully she grabs my other arm, a bit more gently this time.

"How does that second thing work exactly?"

"Well, my Aunt Mara isn't actually related to my mom, but seconds are considered family. When they got married their husbands or wives became their seconds, but since both of their husbands died at the same time they just stuck with one another even though they live in different villages now. You're supposed to pick someone you trust with your own life and the lives of everyone around you. They have to be able to match you step for step in battle, know your every move before you even think of making it. It's a bond that can't be broken. Some Watanabe's don't take human seconds, like my grandfather who raised courier crows that come to his aid. I've never given it much thought, non-human companions are more common for men but they also take years to train. Most girls my age have known who they want to be their second since they could toddle. I never spent much time with the other girls growing up, it was hard for me to be around people for too long at a time. So I'm just worried I won't figure it out before I need to." Finishing up my bandages she moves to put the kit away, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Huh, well, how do you know if they'll work as your second?" Shrugging I accept a glass of water from the women as she patters around my kitchen, stealing some dango and fruit as well as a drink out of the fridge for herself, rolling my eyes at how easily she makes herself at home in a place she's entered only once before.

"They have to be able to move with me as if my moves are their own. More importantly than that, they have to balance me. Balance all the parts of my personality that could cause me to falter if left to my own devices for too long. Be there for me not just on the battlefield, but in life. I don't feel like I know myself well enough to say what I need to balance me, so how can I possibly make that decision?"

"Don't know yourself that well? Of course, you don't, you spend half your time inside a totally different headspace than your own. I know you better than you do."

"Really? Could you maybe enlighten me."

"Well, I cheated a little because Kurenai and I talked about this once. But, like most teenage girls you're kinda self-conscious. You don't try to hide it behind anything, and you know when the skills you have are the right ones for the job. You can lead if you need to, but you'd just as soon follow someone you knew could lead. That's what Kurenai said, and I mostly agree. I also think you speak with purpose, but you speak softly and with a little bit of a measured quality- even when emotional. And I personally think your self-esteem issues are rooted in serious fear of failure. They're way bigger than most people notice because they don't know what I do. You have this weight pressing on your shoulders of needing to know everything, be able to prepare for everything and protect everyone, but you that's not always possible. The only thing you're confident about is helping other people, whether it be reminding them to lace their shoes or taking a kunai to the back. When it comes to yourself, you second guess every decision without even knowing it. You think every little thing over a million times in a millisecond. You insist on technical perfection, practicing the techniques you've known since the academy until you're exhausted every night, and writing mission reports so perfect career jounin get shown them and asked why they can't do it that way. I think that's why you have problems with your visions, you don't believe in yourself. You think you have to get them perfectly under control for it to be acceptable, but maybe just settle for letting something go for once in your life, it might just be good for you."

Anko-shishou's frank assessment made me uncomfortable, for reasons I'm not sure I'm quite ready to explore.

"So then what do I need for balance, who could possibly balance me?" Anko flicks a piece of fruit at me, followed by a dango.

"Eat. In all honesty, there are only a couple things they need to have to balance you out. Confidence, excluding the typical teenage self-esteem issues. A loud personality. Spontaneity. And most importantly, they need to believe in you as much as you believe in everyone else. Good work ethic too, but that's a given."

"I don't even know where to find someone that meets that criteria." Letting my head fall on the table I give her a sorrowful look that I sincerely hope garners pity.

"Gods you're dense. I can think of plenty." Groaning I shoot her a dirty look.

"You don't have long kid, I'll see you tomorrow night when I check up on you after everything."

"Shishou... I'm might have lied a little when I said I was ready for tomorrow."

"You'll do great kid, and I'll be rooting for you the whole time."

Without another word, Anko vanishes and leaves me to ponder my thoughts in silence.


	24. Chapter 24

**Violetta's POV:** **Day two of Trials: Four Days until the Exam(remember, they gave her a temporary amnesia serum)**

I hadn't said anything, but I think mother's tea brewing skills were a little rusty based off of the cup she'd given me this morning. Of course, it could have been the tea leaves, they've been sitting in the cupboard for ages because I'm hopeless at brewing my own tea.

Mother had asked me after breakfast to take cousin Naya out and show her the different plants that grow wild here in the Leaf Village. Currently, I was teaching her the difference between two nearly identical purple flowers.

"The one with three rounded and two pointed leaves on the stem is used to make medicines that cure a variety of different ailments. However, the one with two rounded and three pointed leaves is used to make a toxin that can act as a sedative. If a high enough dosage is given, it can cause paralysis of the internal organs and be fatal. Now, show me which is which." Before she was able to answer me, I heard an unusual rustling sound and held my hand out for her to be quiet. Before I could tell her to run, I felt a needle pierce the skin of my neck, and the world went black.

* * *

When I came to, I saw three men standing around a fire, speaking in hushed tones. Looking to the side, I saw Naya only a few feet away. She was in the same situation as I was, bound to a post and unable to move. Knowing that only Watanabe could speak trader's tongue and that these men couldn't be Watanabe if they'd done this I whisper quietly to my cousin.

 _"Naya, are you awake?"_ She makes a small noise and glances towards me.

 _Aunty, what's going on?"_ Shaking my head I glance back at the men, who are still immersed in their conversation.

 _"I don't know, but I do know what we're going to do. Don't say a word, but as soon as you're loose make a run for it. Understood?"_

 _"Understood."_ By now the men have noticed we're awake and have begun to walk towards us.

"Well, it looks like the little birds finally woke up. We have some questions for you ladies, you can answer easy or you can make it difficult for us."

"Yeah, well by the looks of you lacing your boots up is difficult, so I make no promises."

"You little bitch!" The second he grabs me by the throat I knee him in the groin, using my foot I knock his blade up into my hands. It doesn't take long to cut my ropes, and in one throw, Naya is free as well. Before the other men even know what's happening, she's bolted in what I hope is the direction of the village.

One of them makes a move to go after her, but I stop him with one sentence.

"Hurt her and you really won't be finding anything out." Within a second I find myself picked up once again by my throat, but this time I'm held too high to fight back.

It doesn't take long for darkness to take over, and when I wake up, apparently I've passed a test.

* * *

My head is still a little fuzzy, but from what I gather the test was to test not only my ability to get out of a sticky situation but my ability put someone else first in the face of a potentially life or death situation. The bruises around my neck make me wonder if there was an easier way to do that.

Before I even feel fully coherent, my mother drops me off at the trial hall and wishes me luck. It might be better that I'm a little fuzzy because I might not have difficulty doing this otherwise. Lady Lan shows me into a small padded white room, there's a pane of one-way glass in the door. She says it's so they can periodically check on me. Before she leaves she hands me a tiny vial of blue liquid to drink, and tells me to be strong.

Eyeing the liquid curiously, I sit down calmly in the corner and drink it. Closing my eyes, I wait for what I'm sure will be hell to begin.

* * *

 **Violetta's POV, The Serum, Part One: The Day After She Asked to Join the Academy**

Papa had just come home today! He brought Uncle Karos, Uncle Karos is my favorite (don't tell Uncle Zar!) Karos's wife Auntie Mara had has a little girl that she named Naya, her birthday is the same as mine. I turn six tomorrow, and Naya will be two. So she's four whole years littler than I am. Auntie Mara and Naya will be here in the morning though because they came with a different caravan because Papa says otherwise they would have all been terribly late. Papa hates being late, so do I.

"Papa, Uncle Karos, can we go exploring? Please? I haven't been in forever, Mama won't take me." Laughing my father picks me up and swings me onto his hip.

"Of course we can, right Karos? We'll just let Mama know first, alright?" Nodding I bounce with glee and wiggle down out of his arms to find my mother.

"Mama! Papa, Uncle Karos and I are going to go exploring!" My mother looks down over the counter at me and smiles.

"Alright, just be careful now," then she starts rambling about recipes and orders and flowers and I don't pay any attention because I don't need to know any of that.

"Mama knows now! Let's go!" I wiggle my shoes onto my feet, remembering to check to make sure they're on the right ones and swing my coat on. Papa gave it to me for my birthday two years ago and it still fits. Mama says that's not good because it means I'm not growing big and strong like all the other little girls and boys. I think it's fine because that means I get to wear the coat Papa gave me for an extra long time.

Papa swings his hand with mine, and Uncle Karos trails beside us happily. They tell me stories about all the people they met on their travels and explain the trades they made and how they work. Uncle Karos teaches me some new words, but Papa says they're bad- so not to use them. They're not kind words, and that's what kind of words I'm always supposed to use.

The sun is nearly set, and we're on top of a cliff a million miles from the village. Or, a million miles for me. I still can't tell how far things are yet, my little steps make everything seem so much fartherer away than they are. I'm standing a few feet from the edge, as close as Papa said I could, and he and Uncle Karos are smoking a little ways away from me. Suddenly, I get a bad feeling in my tummy and see the cliff we're standing on covered in blood.

"Papa, I have a bad feeling and I saw blood." Their cigarettes are out instantly, and they look at each other worriedly.

"Shit Karos, we both left our swords back at the house- I wasn't expecting to wander this far from the village. Now, Violetta, I need you to think really hard for a second and tell me-" Papa gets cut off by a loud growl. A big wolf, big as Papa creeps out from the trees. Uncle Karos and Papa pull out their daggers, but more wolves come from the trees, and I think Papa's scared too.

"Karos, I'm gonna distract them, you get Violetta out of here." Uncle Karos looks like he wants to protest, but Papa says something I can't hear over the growls and Uncle Karos picks me up. I bury my face in his shoulder and start to cry, why didn't I see the bad things sooner? That's what I'm supposed to do.

Uncle Karos runs for a long time, and I try to pretend I don't hear Papa scream or the wolves howl. I try to pretend I don't hear them running. I try to pretend that I can't see them coming and hurting Uncle Zar even though my eyes are closed. Suddenly Uncle Zar is setting me down and telling me to look at him. Everything's blurry from my tears, but I listen.

"You've got to run Violetta. Straight ahead and don't look back. Now go." He shoves me in the direction he wants me to run and I run fast as I can. I can hear Uncle Karos' scream, and I don't have to look back to know what happens. I already saw it once. They're getting really close now, Uncle Karos held them off for a while just like Papa, but now they're coming. I can see a little house in the distance- but I don't know if I'll make it that far.

Suddenly, I'm tackled to the ground by a much smaller form than I was expecting. I'm shoved into the hollow of a tree, and someone small but bigger than me is there too. He's a little boy with wild hair and fangs, and red fang marks on his face. I whimper and try to get away, still scared of the wolves.

He holds his hand out to silence me, "Shh... Ma and Kuromaru are gonna scare 'em off." Suddenly the tears are pouring from eyes even harder, and I can't breathe.

Everything goes black then, and for a few seconds before things start again I have a moment of clarity.

My mother told me my father and Uncle Karos died while traveling with a caravan on their way home for my birthday. That they'd been ambushed by bandits. Why hadn't I remembered until now? Why didn't she just tell me it was all my fault?


	25. Chapter 25

_Author's Note: I upped the rating because I felt the swearing and the description of the deaths earlier in the story and some things coming up warranted it. It's really a fairly soft M-rating, but I don't want to risk my story being flagged or taken down._

* * *

 **Violetta POV: The Serum Part Two**

I relived the memory, that I hadn't even known I had, of my father and uncle dying what felt like a million times. And in between reliving it, I relived a million other things that had happened in my life up until today.

Every terrible vision I'd ever had came back to me, and I felt the pain of everyone that I didn't change a million times over.

I saw every time I had frozen in fear at large dog and finally understood why.

I relived the time I nearly drowned in the rapids when I was seven at least a dozen times, and every time the air felt as though it was really gone again.

I relived the first day I was bullied a too many times for my liking, everytime Kiba pushed me down in the dirt angrily on the second day of school hurt even more now that I understood why he might hate me so much. Now that I understood that I had, in fact, met him before that day.

I saw things no one should have to see once, let alone a dozen times, and I felt myself break a little bit with every second that passed. Then, it was all over.

* * *

 **Violetta POV: Day two of Trials (trials complete) Four days until exam**

I put on a stoic face and wipe away my tears, Lady Lan congratulates me but I only nod. I need to find my mother.

When I arrive home I refrain from slamming the door shut, and walk into the kitchen where I hear her humming. I'm not able to stop myself.

"Why did you never tell me? Papa didn't die in a caravan accident. I was there. Why didn't you tell me it was my fault? Why did you lie to me for years!" Tears are streaming down my face, and I barely notice when my mother's bowl shatters on the floor. She tries to come closer but I stumble away from her.

"When you woke up, you didn't remember anything that had happened. The doctors said it was common, and we thought that your powers had made it worse. They said if you didn't remember in a few days you never would. I didn't think... I'm so sorry Violetta, but it wasn't your fault. It was no one's fault. Your father and Uncle Zaros made their choice that day, and they wouldn't want you to feel any guilt over their decisions. Violetta please... don't be angry with me and don't feel guilty either."

My mother has tears on her own faces now, and she clutches her locket in sadness.

"I-I'm not angry... I'm just so confused Mama... I think I need to go upstairs and rest now..." My mother looks startled for a moment.

"Violetta, you haven't called me Mama in nearly seven years." I haven't, I don't think I've called her that since Papa died. Since I let him and Uncle Karos died and forgot it all. Nodding at her I head upstairs.

"I love you, Mama. I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

I sit on my bed for ages, Anko-shishou stops by and I tell her everything I can manage through tears. She's a little awkward, but she does her best to console me. I fall asleep emotionally exhausted before she ever leaves, and when I wake up from a nightmare her coat is draped over me gently. My shoes are off and my weapons pouches are all laid neatly on my table. I lay her coat over the frame of my bed carefully.

Standing up I realize I won't get any more sleep tonight, it's not even midnight, or perhaps for many nights. Instead, I go for a walk. I don't pay attention, I just let my feet carry me. Before long I find myself running, I'm not dressed for running or even for this weather, but I keep going anyway.

Before long, I find myself standing at the top of that familiar cliff. Despite Fire Country being a warm climate, the night chill is stronger here. Baring down all the way into my bones and leeching all the heat from my body.

I sit against a tree near the edge of the clearing, looking out at the horizon of the sky. It's even more beautiful than I remember, no matter how tainted it is by my terrible memories of that day. I dozed off slowly sitting there, and finally that I was back at peace in my heart again.

* * *

 **Anko's POV; One Thirty A.M. Final Day of Trials; Three Days Until Exam**

The kid had somehow gone missing in between the time I went and checked on her, and when her mother went to check on her at one in the morning. Everything she would have normally taken with her was still in the house, even her shoes. That meant she was out and about in just a t-shirt and the shorts she'd been wearing.

Fucking hell, that girl was gonna give me grey hairs. Her mother had shown up at the bar in a frazzle of nerves, how she knew where I'd be was beyond me. She'd asked if I had seen the kid but I hadn't since well before midnight. Luckily, everyone at the bar was more than willing to help look for her after I made her mother explain exactly what was going on. None of them could believe it either, and the fact that the kid was blaming herself was cause for concern. Added to the fact that her mother said the serum can make some people emotionally unsettled and mentally inhibited off and on for twenty-four hours after was a recipe for disaster.

I just hope we find her before that disaster hits.

* * *

 **Kurenai's POV;** **One Thirty A.M. Final Day of Trials; Three Days Until Exam**

I'd looked everywhere I could think of for Violetta, and glancing at Asuma I knew we both felt the same. Like time was somehow running out.

* * *

 **Gai's** **POV;** **One Thirty A.M. Final Day of Trials; Three Days Until Exam**

Kakashi and I were looking for Violetta to no avail, the trail we tried to follow had been wild and even Pakkun had trouble following the scent.

* * *

 **Tsume Inuzuka POV; One Thirty A.M. Final Day of Trials; Three Days Until Exam**

"Wake up runts! We've got a job to do!" Kiba and Hana groaned as they stumbled out of bed, and their ninken let out whines. Nevertheless, they complied. Kuromaru stood and stretched.

"What's going on at this hour?" Throwing Hana and Kiba their jackets I address the room.

"Violetta-san has gone missing and is not particularly stable at the moment, and I think I know where to find her. So let's go." Kiba growled at me and threw his coat back in my direction, I purposely let it hit the floor.

"Fuck her, she can take care of her damn self." Growling right back I step into the pups comfort zone.

"What the hell's your problem?"

"My problem is that we rescued her ass once no thanks given, acted like she didn't even know me and like I was some terrifying monster. She can save her own ass this time, or she can rot. Whichever happens first." Sighing I rub my brow, I hadn't known until tonight what I did, but I was hoping it'd set Kiba straight.

"That's because the event was so traumatic she repressed it, all she remembered was that she was afraid of wolves. Until they gave her some fucked up serum today and it made her relive all of her worst memories. Including that day, for eight goddamn hours. Now she blames herself, and is angry that she was lied to for the last seven years about that night. So buck up and get your head out of your ass, we're going to Wolf Hill." The runt looked shell-shocked but nodded, and he, Hana, and their ninken followed me out the door. Kiba throwing his coat on as we went.

Let's hope we get there in time.


	26. Chapter 26

This is an extra long chapter (for me anyway) because I felt like I wasn't at any good stopping places.

* * *

 **Tsume Inuzuka POV; Two a.m, Final Day of Trials, Three Days until Exams**

Wolf hill was just a few minutes away, but I could hear by the wolves howls that they were getting impatient with the unfamiliar presence in their territory. What the hell was that girl thinking? Soon enough we got to the hill, and I could hear the wolves beginning their move to where I assumed Violetta had found herself.

"Kiba, Akamaru go find Violetta. Kuromaru, Hana and her ninken, and I will head them off and explain the situation." Kiba nodded and broke off from us.

"Hana, let's pick up the pace. We don't have time to waste."

 **Violetta POV**

The sound of a single wolf growling nearby woke me from my slumber. It stood a few yards away, growling and staring, as though he was waiting for the word to attack before he actually made his move. I didn't dare move either both out of fear and the realization that my feet were cut and bloodied from my earlier run, that my limbs were scratched and numb, that my chakra was still exhausted from the last few days, and that that meant I was mostly defenseless right now.

Suddenly, the wolf begins to slowly stalk towards me. When he's only a few feet away, a blur slides into the space between and stop. Two growls are sent back at the wolf, and a silent conversation is had. The wolf begins to walk away, still growling, before finally running off into the trees. That's when I realize that it's Kiba standing in front of me, on all fours in a traditional Inuzuka stance. He stands and turns towards me, giving me an odd look before speaking.

"We're gonna need to talk, but right now we gotta get you the hell outta here. They don't mind us Inuzuka's coming up, we're practically pack, but you're not."

 **Kiba POV**

Violetta looked like hell, and while I still didn't like her a whole lot despite what my mother had told me, I wasn't going to try and scare her more than she already was. Kami, can she even walk like that?

 **Violetta POV**

When I tried to stand my legs nearly gave out on me, pain lacing up through the overall numbness of my body. Letting out a sigh Kiba takes his coat off and gives it to me, stepping a little closer as though he thinks I might hit the ground at any moment. Which I might.

"Don't you need this?" He rolls his eyes at me.

"Not really, Inuzukas run fucking hot, we don't get cold easily. Now put it on, can you even walk?" Shrugging his coat onto my smaller frame and zipping it up, I give him a look that I hope conveys how stupid I think that question sounds. Not that I'm not grateful for him saving me, but years of him being a jerk is a little much to just let go. Even if I now understand why he was so angry with me.

"I'm not sure how I stood up, so probably not, at least not far. Especially since I'm not wearing shoes either."

"Well then, you're getting carried." Without waiting for my response, Kiba picks me up. I let out a small yelp of surprise and swing an arm around his neck at the same time that Akamaru jumps into my lap. He whines at me a little and I pet him gently, Akamaru's so tiny. I wonder how big he'll actually end up getting.

Kiba runs quickly, and before long I can hear his mother and sister talking up ahead. We land in a clearing, and I clench my jaw tightly at the sight of Hana and Tsume's ninken. That's something I'm definitely going to need to work on.

"Good job runt, how you doing kid?" Tsume looks me over, obviously catching sight not only of Kiba's coat but my injuries as well.

"Of all the times I've almost died this year, this one's my least favorite." Nodding Tsume shoots Kiba a look and then turns to Kuromaru.

"Go let everyone know we found her, but she needs rest and medical attention before everyone comes to bug her. They can see her later today at the trials."

"Got it, rest up pup, you look like hell." Kuromaru ran off quickly, and without a word, we have headed off again.

We arrived at a little white house, much smaller than most of the homes I see around the village, but it seems more full of life than most of those homes as well.

Kiba sets me on a chair next to the kitchen table, and Hana runs off to fetch her med bag. I shrug Kiba's jacket off, knowing she'll want to dress the cuts and scrapes on my arms as well. Not to mention the chakra burns on my wrists and hands need to be rewrapped terribly. Kiba simply throws the coat over the back of my chair when I hand it to him, and he then begins to rummage around in the cupboards. Akamaru is still nestled comfortably in my lap, I think he likes me a lot.

"Alright kid, I'm gonna head to bed. Kiba and Hana will get you whatever you need. After that get some rest, what time do you need to be up in the morning?"

"The first trial is at ten a.m." Tsume nods and turns to Kiba.

"Make sure you're up by nine runt, night." Kiba nods absently.

"Night Ma." Tsume trudges off to her room, and Hana returns with her first aid kit shortly thereafter. As a medic-nin, she patches me up much more quickly than other people usually do, and in the background, I can hear the tell-tale signs of cooking.

"Night Kiba, be careful with your bandages Violetta-chan." Akamaru whines pitifully at her when she tries to leave, and she humors him by scratching behind his ear before retiring for the rest of the night. Kiba sets a bowl of stir-fry in front of me, as well as a glass of chamomile tea.

"I figured you should probably eat something while we talk. I have some things to ask, and some things to say." Nodding I gratefully take a sip of the tea.

"Thank you, and feel free to ask me anything."

"Well, firstly, I want your retelling of what happened that day years ago." It's easy enough, I've gone over it several times already. Not to mention how many times I had to relive it. I make sure to stress the most important parts at the end to him though.

"So it was really all my fault. Then I didn't even remember any of it, and my mother lied to me for years instead of just telling me the truth. I'm also so sorry, I didn't remember anything except my fear and that made me act like Inuzuka's were something to be afraid of you that first day at the academy. I never thanked you back then, and I apologize for that too. I don't blame you for hating me all of these years." Akamaru makes a noise at Kiba, and unlike usually I can't quite interpret it.

"Yeah bud, I know. You can't blame yourself for that day, you were just a kid. Knowing what you had just gone through, I should have understood that you'd be scared. But I was just a kid too, and in my world ninken and wolves are pack. They're family and I could never be afraid of them. You thanked me now, and I guess that means we're good. Although, I was a total dick to you for years. More than what was probably okay, so I won't blame you if it takes you a while to forgive me for that." He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair, but I give him a soft smile.

"I think I can forgive it since you just saved my life, but don't expect me to act like your best friend or anything. I wouldn't want to make Akamaru jealous after all."

"Yeah, he does like you. Always has, even before you saved his life." Akamaru jumps from my lap to Kiba's then, showering Kiba in affection as if to apologize for his flagrant favoritism any time I'm around.

"Probably a good thing, I'm not really scared of him cause he's so tiny. I think even once he's big I'll be ok around him, you know?"

"I get it, he's the best ninken around and he's only gonna get better. So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Flinching a little I shake my head.

"The first one, I guess. It's just proving that I have a skill other than fighting, you know a trade to practice. It's especially important since as a shinobi I could suffer a career-ending injury at any time. The final trial of the six is meant to be a showcasing of your abilities to work with your second, but I don't have one. I also have no idea who I could possibly choose. It's a lot to ask of someone, they become family the moment they agree. Then there's the final induction ritual that marks me as a full-fledged clan member, and if my second isn't a clan member, marks them as my official second and puts them and their clan under the protection of the Leaf Village Watanabe Clan. It also gives them all of the benefits of being a clan member. That's what marks another clan becoming an official ally of each branch of the Watanabe Clan, a second being willingly chosen between two members of the clan. The only way for a clan to become an ally with the clan as a whole is to second with someone from the high clan, which never happens. They're a bit pickier because they have their own village, so they don't get on well with clans from most other villages because very few of them are matriarchal in nature. A lot of them actually look down on our clan's practices even more than a lot of Leaf villagers do, they only tolerate us because of the fact that almost every piece of trade in the entire world runs through our clan somewhere along the line." Kiba nods sharply.

"I know what you mean. Inuzuka are matriarchal too, we sometimes have a male clan head though. People look down on us because they think we're too feral to be real people and we have our ninken which just makes it more obvious. We're also not very political so people like the Hyuuga think that makes us stupid. We marry whoever we want as long as we love them, a lot of Inuzuka's have a couple mates. It's rough feeling like everybody looks down their nose at you. I know I've said some shit about your clan before, but I mostly did it because it was an easy way to get at you. What else do people get on your clan for?"

"A lot of the same stuff actually. They call our men deadbeats because they leave and travel, think that they must have a wife in every city since they're never one place for long. Women get called whores because they're husbands are never home, and so they must be getting it somewhere. We're freaks because sometimes we find love in the same gender, or in more than one person. They think we're liars and scammers because obviously, that's what merchants and traders are. They call us lower than samurai. Which is fair, because even a samurai doesn't cross a Watanabe. We're everywhere because we travel, we're matriarchal because the women stay back. They have to protect the village and their children, how can a man lead when they're not even there? How could we respect a male leader when he stays put while his brothers go out to provide? Some stuff we do or think is weird and varies a little village to village, but at its heart, it's all the same. We live to protect and support one another, we come of age and pass the tests, choose and second and then maybe one day a spouse who becomes our second too. I could meet a Watanabe tomorrow, from any village in the world, and I'd know them as a brother or sister. We even have our own language, so that even in adverse circumstances we can speak freely." Grinning Kiba hands Akamaru back to me and stretches out.

"Some real shit there. Inuzuka's communicate in ways most people can never understand. How are you gonna find a second within... the next six and a half hours? At least five of which we should spend sleeping?"

"No idea. Seconds are something else entirely, someone you trust with everything. I feel like I have too many secrets to ask that of anyone, even Anko-shishou who knows more about me than nearly everyone else doesn't know everything. A second gets told every emotion you have and everything that you do, and they give you the same thing back. Animal seconds are rare for women since we're in the village, but men often have seconds that double as messengers. Maybe I'll just ask my grandfather if any of his crows would want to become my seconds since a lot of them are still very young." Nodding Kiba stands up and takes my empty bowl and cup to the kitchen sink, washing them as we continue our conversation.

"You could always choose a ninken, well, let it choose you. Sometimes non-Inuzuka's get ninken as well. Akamaru likes you a lot, I'm sure one of the other ninken pups would like you as well. Just a thought, I know you might still be scared of them, but if you get a ninken as a puppy you might not be scared of it. Just like with Akamaru." Stroking Akamaru's fur I shake my head slowly.

"It takes years to train a ninken, and I can barely take care of and train myself. Besides, Akamaru is an exception. He still makes me a little shaky when I first see him, but he feels like a friends I've had for years. I even mostly understand him." It's then that Kiba drops the bowl and it clanks loudly in the sink, I'm surprised it doesn't break into a million little pieces.

"What do you mean, understand him?" Crinkling my brow I tip my head curiously at him.

"Well, when he whines or growls or barks, or anything really, I can at least understand the jist of it. If not everything he says. Why?"

"What the fuck, can you understand the other ninken?"

"Well, Kuromaru uses words so yes. I haven't heard Hana's ninken make a sound. I do however understand most of your sounds, and your mom and sisters as well."

"That's ridiculous. Non-Inuzuka's can take years to even be able to understand their own ninken, let alone someone else's." Picking Akamaru up in front of me I look him carefully in the eye.

"Akamaru, did I or did I not have entire conversations with you that day you followed me around?" Akamaru responds with a series of puppy sounds that roughly translated into a message I then relayed to Kiba in what I hope was a condescending tone.

 _"Yes! You even told me all about that snake smelling lady (discomfort evident). I told you about all the other ninken and my favorite treats and lots of other things!"_

"Am I right?" Nodding slowly Kiba narrows his eyes at me.

"Okay then, well, we need to get some sleep. You can have my bed, I can take the floor." I shake my head.

"Nonsense, I can sleep there. I've already caused enough of a disruption."

"Ma will kill me if she finds out I let you sleep on the couch, now come on. I'll show you where my room is."

* * *

"...Night Kiba."

"Night."


	27. Chapter 27

_For Fun I'm going to do a quick Ten Truths about the Watanabe Clan, Ten Truths about Violetta and Ten Truths about her Family. Most all of the information could be gleaned from the story so far, but some of it is just random information I've thought of but don't know when or if I'll include it. Consider it my gift to you guys for being such excellent readers, and I'll probably do more(shorter ones) of these as the Story Progresses!_

 _1\. The Watanabe Clan was strictly matriarchal, at least in their politics. They knew that for any relationship to work, both individuals had to balance one another, besides it's not fair to expect everyone woman to wish to lead in every aspect of her life. At times, simply following is important._

 _2\. Swordsmanship was not what most Watanabe considered their most valuable skill, people skills are far more important in their lines of work._

 _3\. Girls are not actually treasured more than male children, but many Watanabe women have several sons before they manage even one daughter. It's all in the numbers really. When few so many fewer girls are born, it's a much more momentous occasion. Although, firstborns are considered the most monumental._

 _4\. No Watanabe Village Clan Head has ever wanted their position, and neither has any High Clan Head. It's a lot of strict rules and roots you almost permanently to one place. It goes against the very nature of the people who often grow up with few or no rules and live life with free wandering spirits._

 _5\. Unlike in other clans. the position is not based on blood lineage. The clan head at the time chooses based on instinct, and the position is only passed on if they don't wish to take it. Because even if they don't no one is actually going to turn it down when the time comes, it's too great of a gift even if it is a burden._

 _6\. While their fortune telling is renowned, and most children are skilled at it. They are so skilled for a variety of reasons. In trade and travel body language, the manner of speech, behavior, and many other things are important observations. A child of the clan is likely as able to read you like the most adept T &I specialist, it's in their blood after all._

 _7\. The first Watanabe to have psychic visions was not a woman, but rather a young boy. His mother was concerned for his sanity and presented him to the High Clan Head in concern. She felt he was telling the truth, and asked him to stay if he'd like to hone his gift. He went on the have twelve children, but only his two daughters possessed his gift. Only one lived to adulthood, and after that only girls were born with the gift, but only every other generation. Over the years a few unrelated have been borne with the gift and the same has happened. It seems to rotate bloodlines, but any bloodline that has gifted seems to have better intuition than most._

 _8\. Both men and women have fairly extensive processes to becoming full-fledged clan members, they're brutal and grueling but no one would change them for anything._

 _9\. The High Clan is very secluded, and as such they have the ability to marry whomever they please and however many people they please. In many villages this is not the case, but that's alright. Even without marriage Watanabe know what true loyalty is, the brand on their bodies reminds them every day1. ._

 _10\. The Leaf Village is one of the few that allows clans to marry however they choose, in part due to the presence of the Inuzuka, and in part due to the First Hokage's realization that good relations with the clan controlling all trade was a very smart move._

* * *

 _1\. Violetta Watanabe had been born very ill, and her grandmother had died that same day. She barely survived and didn't make a(nearly) full recovery until nearly five years old, in celebration of her good health and ability to go outdoors her father brought her a beautiful coat from Snow Country so her tiny frame would never be cold._

 _2\. She was afraid of many things, wolves and ninken, total darkness, large and small enclosed spaces, water(specifically drowning), and among other things failing. In her defense, nearly all of her fears had been borne out of some kind of terrible tragedy in her life that had very nearly killed her. She usually hid them well enough._

 _3\. Violetta had never harbored any ill will towards Kiba, she was more scared of what he'd say or do than anything else. Despite all of this, she had never not trusted him when it came to his ability to protect those around him. Even if he didn't like her, he was a fellow Leaf Nin, and she knew Inuzuka were loyal even in hatred._

 _4\. When she was a child she nearly died on Wolf Hill, and her father and Uncle did as well. However, when she was seven another girl shoved her into the rapids of a flooded river. On purpose. She nearly drowned but was saved by one Kakashi Hatake who had heard her panicked screams from the memorial stone. It's the only time that his presence at that stone has done more than remind him of his losses. When she was eight she was inside of the Academy gymnasium cleaning for Iruka sensei when an explosion set off by a missing-nin collapsed the building around her. She survived thanks to the metal bench she hid under in darkness for several days. In fact, something has killed her nearly every year of life._

 _5\. If asked who her favorite person was, she'd always reply her grandfather. If you asked her least favorite person, she'd refuse to answer. The answer is Sakura Haruno, she's glimpsed into that girl and doesn't like anything she's seen._

 _6\. Only one time had someone's insults about her and her clan caused her to cry, that was the one and only time Kiba had actually used the word sorry towards her._

 _7\. Violetta sometimes thought she only hated her swords because they'd belonged to her father. Then she looked at her fans and realized that wasn't the case at all._

 _8\. Violetta knew it was odd to go to another teacher for instruction, but teachers aren't all good at the same things. It's also because she wasn't naturally adept at understanding anything to do with chakra or ninjutsu. Theory came ok if she worked hard enough at understanding it, but practice was an entirely different matter._

 _9\. She had once noticed Lees weights and began to use weights herself, being smaller and lighter already helped immensely with her speed but weights made her even better. They also made her kicks have a bit more bite behind them._

 _10\. One day she hopes to be able to look around her in the Watanabe sector and see dozens of children wearing headbands, because she sees the way those little girls and boys look at her. The way they looked at all shinobi, they could do it. She believed that more than anything, besides caravans could always use some shinobi along._

* * *

 _1\. Violetta, her father, her niece Naya, and Uncle Kar all shared the same birthday. Of course, Uncle Kar was her father's only sibling and twin brother, and Naya's father had been his brother in arms so it was really only fitting. (Uncle Zaros' birthday came literally the day after, but her mother and brother were far off the spectrum.)_

 _2\. Violetta's mother was not proud to say she acted the same way her own mother once did, she was however proud to say that her daughter took after her father and grandfather in most aspects. Including the fact that she couldn't brew tea to save her life._

 _3\. Akari Watanabe had a mother and father, but her husband had grown up without a father. A fate he was doomed to allow be repeated._

 _4\. Akari Watanabe had met her husband at fifteen when traveling with her sister and second, Mara. They'd both met their husband's that day. They'd had a double wedding in the snow before they even turned sixteen, and Mara had moved back to the High Clan Village where the girls were from. Akari chose to humor her husband and move to the Leaf, after all compromise is a beautiful thing._

 _5\. Everyone considered it fate that Mara and Akari lost their husbands the same day after meeting them in the same manner. The blow really hit when they learned that Uncle Kar had been killed in route, and that's how Akari decided to spare her daughter by using that particular lie._

 _6\. Naya Watanabe doesn't like fighting, or dancing, or anything else to do with her clan really. She already has plans to refuse the trials when she comes of age, it's not something she wants._

 _7\. Mara Watanabe knows her daughters thoughts but says nothing. Watanabe's believe in free will to a fault, and her daughter will live whatever life she chooses._

 _8\. No one in the Leaf Clan has ever married into another clan, until last year. Amethyst Watanabe, who was likely a distant cousin, had married into the Aburame clan._

 _9\. Akari Watanabe thinks her daughter will make that number two individuals._

 _10\. Violetta's grandfather was famous for his courier crows, his seconds. Few people knew one thing. They were summons crows who had be deemed unworthy of summoning. He thought that was a terrible thing, they were such brilliant creatures._

* * *

 **Violetta** **POV; Nine a.m. Final Day of Trials, Three days until Exams**

I had been tired still when Kiba woke me up, but I thanked him, his mother, and his sister before rushing home. Everything ached and stung, but I knew being late would not be excused under the circumstances. I still had no second either, which would be even less excusable. Today was not going to go well.

 **Kiba Pov**

"Hey Ma, what does it mean if a Non-Inuzuka understands Akamaru?"

"Huh? What do you mean runt?" Running my hand through my hair I dry the dish she hands me.

"I mean, like if they understand what Akamaru says when he talks to us. What does that mean?"

"They just understand Akamaru or what?" Ma gives me a raised eyebrow when she passes me the next dish.

"I mean, they've only really heard Akamaru... but they can kinda understand us when we communicate to one another." She puts the rag down and dries her hand.

"Take a seat runt, it's time we have a talk. Listen up. Most non-Inuzuka's can't understand ninken at all, let alone an Inuzuka that don't want 'em hearing something. Whenever it happens, we keep 'em close. It's nice to have people that get us but aren't Inuzuka's, you know. They're also considered pack, so whoever you're talking about you have a responsibility to them now. You know what that means. You protect them blood, sweat, and tears. No matter what you stand by their side, their woes are your woes. Their heart is your heart. They're a brother or sister to everyone in this clan, and they need to know that too. Got it?" Nodding slowly, I stand up and holler for Akamaru.

"I'm gonna head out Ma, I'll see you at Violetta's trials?"

"Sure thing runt."

 **Violetta POV**

My mother said nothing to me when I arrived home, and I returned the favor. The feeling of her betrayal throughout my childhood still burned too freshly.

I left to the trial hall before she did, intent on thinking of what to do about not having a second. I was moving on muscle memory and was so engrossed in thought that I'm sure Kiba must have called my name a dozen times before finally catching up to me and grabbing my arm.

"Violetta, I need to talk to you. It's important." Nodding slowly, I gently pull my arm out of his grasp.

"Look, I talked to my mom and... Well... Since you understand Akamaru you're considered pack now. I knew first and it kinda makes you and your safety my responsibility. So, long story short, since that's kinda what I am now by Inuzuka standards, I think you should consider letting me be your second."

"Okay." I clearly saw the logic, had an okay feeling about it, and it kept me out of a bind.

"Look I know we've had our difference but- Wait, you said okay? Seriously?"

"Yeah, I've been working with you for a couple weeks now, you've saved my life before, I understand Akamaru and you when you get growly, I trust you and Akamaru both well enough, and Inuzuka's are natural's at teamwork. There's one more thing you need to know about your induction as my second that I didn't mention last night because it's not something we usually share with outsiders."

"What's that? I thought it was just maybe us fighting together and it getting recognized or whatever?"

"Not just that, when Watanabe's graduate to full-fledged clan members the ceremony concludes with us taking the clan marking. Non-clan seconds do it as well."

"What kind of clan marking?" Kiba looks genuinely confused by this concept, despite the fangs on his cheeks.

"Well, a lot of clans do tattoos or are born with markings but Watanabe's are different. We brand the clan symbol, a violet flower with crossed swords somewhere on our bodies. I plan to get it on my shoulder, but it can be placed nearly anywhere." Shock fills Kiba's face, but he seems to steel himself to this.

"I can do that. No problem. Anything else?" I grin a little.

"At some point, you'll be expected to at least learn basic sword and fan work from me, exchange of skills is valued. Also, you'll need to tell your mother what I told you last night about it marking your clan as official allies. The only other clan we're allied with officially in the Leaf is the Aburame clan. She can talk to Lady Lan if she has any questions, she can explain it much better than I can."

"Gah, swords at least are manly, but fans? Ugh, fine but you'll have to learn more about Akamaru and taking care of ninken. Maybe I'll even talk you into getting your own ninken someday, it wouldn't hurt. I've gotta go talk to Ma, but I'll see you in a bit."

"It might hurt actually, but maybe. I'll see you Kiba."


	28. Chapter 28

**Violetta POV; Ten A.M. Final Day of Trials, Three Days until Exam**

Lady Lan had started off the day easily enough, and I was glad to see that the same group of people had come as before, minus Naruto. I was pretty sure they were also the only ones who would even think to attend the party. Which is a pity because some of them should really meet each other.

The first thing was a ceremonial presentation of the most recent graduates to the first level of swordsmanship. Anko-shishou was standing beside me and swearing under her breath about 'how many deadly toddlers do you really need'. All of the sensei's seemed surprised that children as young as three were standing before them wielding tiny swords with real blades, but I think they all did beautifully. Although one girl may have lost a pigtail courtesy of her brother. I can't say for sure if that was actually an accident or if it was on purpose.

The next thing was my presentation of skill, it had taken me days to think of what I might want to do. I had finally settled on the easiest but least common cop-out. Traveling dancer, even a lot of serious injuries could be worked around if you practiced hard enough. I tried to ignore stares as I moved in the patterns I had long ago memorized, some of them twice over for use in my taijutsu. My extra special flexibility was enough to make my routine more impressive than a lot of other girls. When I finished my mother had to initiate the applause as everyone else seemed a bit shell-shocked. They followed suit and I blushed a little. Lady Lan clapped her own hands sharply after a moment to gather their attention once again.

"Beautiful! Truly a talent to behold my dear. Now, for this next part I have asked your shishou and her choice of partner to duel against you and your chosen second as you are not just a clansmen, you are a shinobi of the Leaf and should be challenged as such. Tell us, whom have you chosen as your second." I shoot Kiba, Akamaru, and Tsume a look, and all nod at me. It tells me that Kiba talked to his mother about this already.

"I have chosen Kiba Inuzuka, and by extension his ninken Akamaru, as my second." Lady Lan blinked slowly and turned to Tsume.

"As clan head and his mother, do you understand the endeavor he is about to undertake and the responsibilities entailed?"

"Yes, and I extend the ally ship of your clan from myself and my clan members back to your own clan as well. The Inuzuka will recognize the Watanabe clan members of the Leaf Village as pack and protect them as their own. It is our way." Lady Lan nods and smiles, turning to Anko-shishou.

"Pray tell, who have you chosen to stand by your side to test your protege and her second?"

"Truthfully I forgot about that, any volunteers?" Everyone blanches at Anko, but Kurenai steps forward confidently.

"Kiba is my student, so I think it's fitting that I join you in this." Everyone nods to one another and takes their places on the battlefield. Kiba instinctually turns to face off against Anko, so that I can face Kurenai. His nose helps against most genjutsu user's but Kurenai is too strong for that. I'm a better match there. When it comes to sheer hard-hitting knuckleheaded force, he and Anko are definitely a good match.

Shortly, Lady Lan begins the battle. It seems like hours and no one moves, of course, that's what Kurenai wants me to think anyway. Unfortunately for her, I had learned a trick when I was reading up on chakra theory, the deeper I let myself drift before I snap myself out of it, the more disoriented it will leave her. I haven't tried it yet, but I think it will work. Even snapping out of a genjutsu freshly placed leaves a split second of disorientation.

I dive headfirst into the illusion and months seem to pass as the world spins around me. When it reaches maximum speed but also maximum slowness I snap my chakra out as hard as I can at the source of the illusion. It literally shatters, and I immediately move to strike at Kurenai. She's so disoriented that she barely puts up a half decent block. I glance over to see Kiba and Akamaru hitting Anko with Fang over Fang, and I jerk a string of shuriken at her legs to distract her for a moment. Kurenai is fighting back now, and it forces me to pull out my fans. This is getting interesting.

Kiba and I continue to fight separately but together, at some point we even switch opponents for a moment. I land a solid burn on Anko while he lands a solid hit on Kurenai. I think an hour passes before Lady Lan ends the match and calls it an excellent display of our potential.

"In light of this impressive display, now it is time to present Violetta with the marking that will show that she is a full-fledged member of our clan, and Kiba with his marking which will mark him as her second, and tie him and his clan to the Leaf Village Watanabe Clan until such a time that one of them no longer stands. Are there any objections to these proceedings?" When no hands raise to protest this, Kiba and I take our places in front of the fireplace next to Lady Lan's podium. Kneeling where she tells us to, Kiba removes his coat and his mesh. I remove my own coat and slip my left arm from the sleeve of my tank top.

Kiba and I lock eyes, and then everything goes white for a moment before fading to black.

* * *

 **Violetta POV; Just Before the Party; Three Days Until the Exams**

Brushing out my hair slowly, I admire how long it actually is. Mother had taken her straightener to it, reminiscing on how whenever he let his hair grow a bit my fathers was just as curly. It had taken her nearly two hours to straighten it after I woke up after passing out. I had been expecting that of course, it's fairly common. My shoulder had already been treated and wrapped. The pain and stiffness dulled down thanks to the ointments used.

Mother was out back putting the finishing touches, taking gifts from clan members who would only stop by out of ceremony and propriety. The actual party is meant to be a far more personal thing. Taking my hair up into a loose bun, I head out back to help her out. Mother waves me off and tells me to just wait for the guests to arrive and to greet them when they do.

Everyone seems to file in all at once, just behind Gai-sensei's ultra-mega-dynamic-birthday special-entry. Which is probably why no one wanted to enter before he did, that sunset genjutsu is even more disconcerting with streams and balloons flying about. I do as my mother said and greet everyone as they enter. Some of them seem a bit awkward, but it's all the same people that were there this morning. Minus Kakashi, who is probably going to be very late.

Chouji made a beeline for the food set out for everyone, and I laughed when I saw Ino begin to scold him. My mother very quickly scolded Ino in return and handed Chouji a cookie from one of the plates. He grinned and stuck his tongue out at Ino.

Lee was reenacting something or another very animatedly for Neji and Tenten who did not seem enthralled at all. The adults were gathered over by the table where mother had placed the very definitively labeled sake and other alcohols, including my brother, grandfather, and Mikari.

Shikamaru was sitting in a chair dozing off, and Hinata stood nervously beside a silent Shino and a slightly awkward Kiba. Gods, these people are terrible socializers. They keep this up and Mother's going to make us play party games before the party's even really-

"Everyone gather up! We're going to play a game now! It's one of my favourites." Mother grinned as everyone gathered in the chairs surrounding the food table.

"It's called two truths and a lie. You say three things and everyone guesses which one is a lie by holding up one, two, or three fingers. The person who guesses right the most number of times gets a prize! Ino-san you begin and we'll go around the table from there." Ino nods slowly.

"Hai... One, My favorite color is yellow. Two, I can run a mile in three minutes. Three, My favourite food is rice dumplings." Around the table everyone made guesses, nearly everyone guessed that two was the lie. A few guessed one. I guessed three. After everyone guessed Ino smiled.

"Violetta is the only one to get it right, I hate rice dumplings! Since I've been training with her I'm nearly as fast as she is now. Your turn Shikamaru." Groaning Shikamaru turned his eyes to the sky and thought for a moment.

"Troublesome. One, I enjoy cloud watching. Two, no one but my father has ever beaten me at shouji. Three, I hope to be average." Everyone looked stumped, and so most guessed three. Me, I guessed two.

"Che, Violetta again. She beat me in less than a minute, I'd almost forgotten. Chouji."

"Neh, one, I love BBQ. Two, I hate vegetables. Three, I can out eat Naruto." Everyone guessed three, Chouji eats but Naruto is a bottomless pit. It goes around and around, and we learn something interesting about nearly everyone.

Hinata's favourite flowers are Lilac's, Shino enjoys flower pressing, Kiba can't tie a bow. Lee has broken far too many bones, Neji cannot braid, there's one weapon Tenten can't use. Tsume's pack had two members, Hana originally wanted to be Anbu. Asuma once lost a bet and had to give up smoking for three months. Kurenai's red eyes have been mistaken for the sharingan on missions. Anko-shishou does not like butterflies. Gai's favorite flower is not, in fact, the Lotus. Grandfather had once met a women, before my grandmother, who left him tied to a bed. Brother had once lost a bet, mother informed him he was grounded. Mikari knew how to make at least one dish from every country. Iruka hadn't always wanted to be a teacher. Shibi had proposed to Mai twice, on their first date, both time accidentally. Mai had had a crush on Shibi since the academy.

Afterwards my mother forced upon us many more games... Until finally Kaito managed to convince her that it was time for gifts. Opening them flew by in a haze.

Ino had gifted me special straightening shampoo, and a gift certificate for a significant amount of it. Shikamaru gave me a shouji board. Chouji gave me a lot of Akimichi specialty candies and treats. Hinata gave me journal hand bound in and intricately embroidered. Shino gave me a book full of everything you could possibly need to know about any insect. Kiba gave me a book on how to communicate with ninken and work with them in battle. Lee gifted me a lotus blossom to plant in the garden. Neji said that his and Tenten's gift was together, which is a lie he just didn't know what to get and had no one to help him, but she didn't protest that and presented me with an instructional guide to the use weaponry other than my swords. Tsume and Hana both gifted me heavy fur blankets like the one I had used when I stayed in their home. Asuma, who had attended nothing to do with the ceremonies until Kurenai dragged him along tonight, gave me a book of coupons to various resturaunts. Kurenai gifted me a book on the guiding principles of genjutsu and its usage in battle. Anko-shishou gifted me, not so shockingly, a set of boxes labeled 'Dango for Anko Mitarashi. Touch and Be Dismembered.' Gai sensei...gifted me a wonderful piece of attire in the form of a green jumpsuit. Although he also considerately included a purple one in the box in case 'green was not my youthfully preferred color.' Grandfather gave me his journals from his travels throughout the years to read, while Mikari gave me a letter and told me not to open it yet. Iruka gave me two books, one on fire style jutu's and one on lightning style. Shibi and Mai gifted me with books detailing the histories of all the nations and the clans that resided in all of them, up to date the beginning of the year. It was quite an extensive set.

Brother had insisted that his gift go second-to-last, before only mother's gift, and when it was all said and done he stood at the head of the table several oddly shaped packages in his hands.

"For years I have been designing and then helping make weapons for my sister as I watched her on her shinobi path. However, these weapons were not only designed by me, but crafted strictly by my own hands as well." Slowly he removed the cloths and revealed the objects.

"These are chakra ribbons, as thin, flexible and soft as any ribbon. However, they are made of spun steel and by feeding chakra into them they become immediately deadly. The second are special bracelets I created, a small pulse of chakra creates a small fan shield that both proctects the hand and can shock a foe. The last one, is the one I am most proud of. While they are not your weapon of choice, I hope these four swords aid you in battle in the years to come. Father couldn't be here today to gift you your own set instead of grandmother's, so I hope you'll accept my gift in his place." I take the beautifully crafted swords in awe, the sheathing alone looks amazing. It's a dark shimmering purple that almost looks like an illusion. The handles are woven in dozens of shades of purple, and when I remove them from the sheath the blades themselves are tinted the deadliest looking shade of purple you could ever imagine. And engraved on it is...

"Brother, thank you so much." He ruffles my hair.

"Each blade is engraved with one part of the motto. By blood we die and by blood we live. By heart we lose and by heart we love. By mind we guide and by mind we follow. By soul we fall and by soul we flourish. The final line is engraved into the opposite side of each and every blade. I am all things together, not one thing alone, whether I am strong or I am weak, my forever home will always find me." The atmosphere grows solemn for a moment as I throw my arms around my brother. Finally, my mother clears her throat and smiles at me. She hands me two jewelry boxes. In the first one is her necklace and Aunt Mara's, and in the second box is her ring and father's.

"The necklaces are to guide and keep you and Kiba-chan safe from harm as they have me and you Aunt Mara all of these years. The rings are for the day you find the love of your life and marry them if you never do I ask that you pass them on to one of your brother and Mikari's children." She hugs me as well, and appraisals begin to go around the room as the other's inspect my brother's weapon crafting skills. Shortly after I place my necklace on and gift Kiba his.

The night winds slowly to an end, and I receive many good wishes and hugs as everyone begins to depart. Anko-shishou leaves last, giving me a smile.

"From now until the end of the chuunin exams you're excused from the majority of the conditions surrounding your apprenticeship, all except making me proud. See ya." Now begins the real challenge.


	29. Chapter 29

**Violetta POV, Two Days Until the Exams**

Morning came and went and I refused to leave my room or move too much, I was far too exhausted. Months of pushing every limit, on top of going beyond those limits often in the last few days had caught up with me all at once and I knew I needed to rest for exams. So I had sat in my room and packed all of my supplies for the exams, when that was completed I began looking at the dozens of papers on my abilities laying in neat piles on my desk. Then, I eye the journal Hinata had given me. I go back and forth several times, and I spend the rest of the day dividing the papers into five sections, Swordsmanship, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Poisons, and Visions. Then I carefully transcribe all of my notes neatly into the first half of the journal, carefully condensing them and writing in only my neatest and most compact handwriting. I leave the second half, labeling the first page 'part two'. That way I could write more as my knowledge progressed. Despite this, I still end up with dozens of loose pages added into the book, product of my need to document examples and diagrams of everything.

Sealing it into my scroll along with my other notes, journals, and scrolls, I lay out on the floor. Unlike everyone else, I won't need a backpack at any point. I had gotten smart, and sealed things into the ten small sealing scrolls and secured them safely in pockets and pouches in my uniform. One scroll contained my notes and journals, one contained camping supplies, another contained weaponry, the fourth has medical supplies and my poisons, the fifth scroll contains clothing and the remaining five scrolls are sealed into it as well. My water pouch is hidden in a pocket as well, filled to the max with five or so gallons of water.

Having done nothing all day, I go to sleep anyway. The next day I'm a bit more active, getting all of my stretching and a short run in. Before I know it, it's Thursday and time for the exams. I'm beyond ready.

 **Exams**

I had been so excited that I rushed out, barely stopping to hug everyone goodbye. They were headed back out on the road today, but if I do well they'll be back very soon to celebrate that with me as well. Grandfather stops me before I actually make it very far. Imparting me with a bit of wisdom.

"You were fiercest when you were a child, sick and nearly dying. I watched that fierceness fade when you lost your father, I can see it now returning. You are a warrior against all odds. When the tide turns against you, remember that you have yet to fail at survival." Hugging him strongly again, I smile and go on my way.

The testing center has very few candidates in it already, but I do see two gate chuunin hassling a few kids out of entering a room that is actually under a genjutsu. I don't bother to try and intervene, instead, I keep going up to the third floor. Where in, I literally run into Kakashi-sensei.

"Violetta-san! Funny seeing you here... Here you go! Ciao!" Kakashi had tossed a journal into my arms rapidly and vanishes in a flurry of leaves. It was hand written and looked to have been done recently. Inside there were instructions to a bunch of random fire and lightning justus. Kakashi-sensei... I added it reverently to my collection in the sealing scroll, something like that was incredibly valuable. He may have been guilt-tripped by Anko-sensei, I had voiced my wishes to have him take training his students seriously so that I could have learned some jutsu from him, and she probably hassled him for it even more after he didn't show up last night. I love that woman. Now who do I hand in my registration form in to if I don't have a standard sensei?

"Violetta-chan! Good morning, Hokage-sama asked me to be your official sponsor for these exams. Mitarashi-san isn't allowed as she is proctoring the second exam, do you have your registration all filled out for me?" Iruka-sensei was giving me a proud beaming smile, eyes just the slightest bit teary.

"Hai, Iruka-sensei. Here it is, arigatou for being my official sponsor for the exam. I'm a bit nervous, but also very excited." Nodding Iruka-sensei takes my form and glances over it to confirm that it was completed in its entirety.

"Well, let me give you some pointers. You're competing for solo, and there are some special rules in place for that, but don't forget that the other leaf ninjas are still your comrades. You still need to look out for each other where you can. With your, _condition_ , in mind, you're going to want to be extra careful. Those fits you sometimes have could get you killed in these exams. And remember, I believe in you and so does everyone else. You can do this. You work hard, show determination, and what you lack in raw power you make up for with perfect chakra control and perfectionist tendencies. Is there anything else?" Smiling I give Iruka-sensei a double pack of dango.

"Hai, could you please bring this to Anko-shishou? I don't want her to miss my dango too much while I'm busy with the exams. Also, Kakashi-sensei gave me a book of jutsus, would you help me go over their theories after the exams are over."

"I think I can manage both of those things, I better get going. Good luck!" With that, he vanishes in a swirl of leaves, not even giving me the time to thank him. Oh well, I'm sure he knows that I'm quite grateful for his assistance. I find a safe spot in the back of the still empty room, and meditate a bit. The door opens only once before I go into a vision of what the first exam is going to entail.

 _I see where each one of the rookie nine and Team Gai are going to sit, and then I see the test answers. Slowly but surely I see how the exam unfolds, and I don't really like the results. Far too many people left at the end, but I see a way to fix that._

When I snap back around to the real world, I see three sand shinobi giving me odd looks. The fan and puppet masters look concerned, while the... oh my... jinchuuriki of the sand village has a bit of a crazed look in his eye. The blonde girl clears her throat awkwardly.

"Uh, are you alright? You looked a little... freaky there for a minute, and you're having a slight nose bleed." Quickly pulling out a tissue I offer them a soft smile.

"I'm fine, thank you though. Sometimes I don't feel them until it's a bit too late. It's a pleasure to meet you Temari-san, Kankuro-san, Gaara-san. Are you all doing well today?" Temari gives me a startled wide eyed look, and Kankuro takes a step back into a stance that is quite nearly battle ready.

"We're well yes... How did you know our names?" Shrugging I toss the tissue in the corner basket and stand from my seat.

"I know many things, now if you'll excuse me, I have a bit of work to do." I go up front and open the desk, finding what I had seen in my vision. Notecards, and a pencil. I quickly transcribe the test answers onto them, and place them in position at the seats I want them to be at. Layering a genjutsu over them that, once the test exam begins will be altered so that only the person in the seat can see them. Essentially the chameleon jutsu, and since it's not actually very widespread or complex it's not too strenous. Slowly people begin to filter in, the rookies cause a bit of a scene, and I get bad vibes from Kabuto. I don't for a second believe he's really the unwitting victim of those sound ninja, and I'm glad when a man named Ibiki shows up to give us our instructions. Everyone is given a number for their seat, and I'm glad that the others are right where I saw them to be, as well as the sand shinobi who I gave answer sheets as well on a last minute whim. I want to get on their good side, seems like a smart move.

Ibiki begins to go on about the cheating rules, it's obvious the goal is to see if we can successfully gather information. Finally, he gets to the part about those of us competing alone and I tune in a little closer to make sure I didn't miss anything in my vision.

"For those few of you competing solo, you get only one mistake. One time being caught cheating and you're out. You will also go into a seperate room to take your own tenth questions. If there are no further questions, begin!" Suddenly an entire room flips over their exams, and many slump in defeat or confusion at the same time. Carefully, I move my genjutsu to the second stage, the rookie nine, Team Gai, and the sand ninja all stiffen a little before beginning to copy the answers. Except Sakura, she huffs and starts to fill the answers in on her own. A bit snotty of her if you ask me. Filling in my own answers, I lay my head down until the tenth question is to be given.


	30. Chapter 30

**Ibiki POV**

I don't know how the girl had done it, but I had seen her prep some of the desks with answers beforehand and then hide it with a basic modification of the chameleon jutsu. Which, despite being low level, probably couldn't be performed by many of the others in this room. Anko was right, the girl had a perfectionists eye for everything that she did. According to her, she practiced every jutsu she knew every day, most of them many times to make sure they were perfect. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing, and while she was no powerhouse her thinking skills had proven in the past to be able to take down powerhouses in a tough situation. Even if it did almost kill her. Despite this, whenever she did something you could see that she was thinking it over again. With the extensive notes and expertly perfect mission reports I had been told about, I was quite certain that she had some moderately compulsive tendencies. She even straightened out the desk drawer when she grabbed those notecards and a pencil. General diagnosis in my professional opinion is low self-esteem, anxiety, compulsive tendencies, and a few other odds and ends. Likely all stemming from childhood trauma. She'll do fine though.

 **Violetta POV**

I could practically feel Ibiki analyzing me, the same way Anko sometimes did. He was probably drawing similar conclusions as well, but I like to think that since I got some memories back and reconciled with Kiba that I was changing a little bit. Not much of course, but I think I have a little more bravado than before, and I don't feel quite so afraid of so many things. In all honesty, I know it's going to take time to be better, and I have plenty of it.

Finally, the exam ends. More kids are gone than my vision had originally shown, which is good news for everyone left. 20 instead of 26 teams, and 3 individuals plus myself instead of 5 plus myself. Ibiki instructs the 4 single competitors to go to a room off to the side, and two proctors follow us. The window on the wall is on way glass, we can see the other competitors, but they can't see us. One of the chuunin, often a gate guard, stands in front of us.

"Congratulations on passing the first nine questions, now for your final test. You must pick a team from your own village to be disqualified from the proceedings, or you must forfeit yourself. Refusal to choose one option or the other removes you from contention for all future chuunin exams. Who would like to answer first?" Behind him, I can see teams giving up already, but the others don't seem to have noticed. A genin from the Sand answers first.

"Team Baki of the Sand should be disqualified from the proceedings." The genin from the sound offers up the only sound group as well, the genin from the rain offers up a tea he calls 'Team Moro', and that leaves me. Looking at the proctor in the eye I stand my ground, I know a bluff when I see one. Even without my gift.

"I won't let my own selfish intents ruin the chances of three of my fellow leaf ninja, I will forfeit my place in the exams so that they may continue." Nodding he directs the others to go through the door behind us, while I stay behind. When they're gone, he gives me a big smile.

"Well done kid! You passed, I'll let Ibiki take it from here. Looks like they're about done in there, so we'll go ahead and go back in." When we return to the room, I get some proud looks from my fellow leaf ninja and I smile a little. Ibiki then goes on the explain the exam. How the purpose was to prove you could gather intel in adverse circumstances, and the final question proved whether or not you had the tools to make decisions as a squad leader. Then he got to the good part.

"For the solo competitors, we told them to choose a team from their village to be disqualified or forfeit themselves. In their case they were told refusal to answer would be the reason they could no longer take these exams. The correct choice was to forfeit yourself so that three people could have the chance to succeed. Only one student passed in their case, the others choosing to sacrifice three fellow shinobi in pursuit of a personal goal. So, Congratulations to all of you again and-" Suddenly, the glass was busted through and a banner was broadcasted across the room. Anko knows how to make an entrance, that's for sure.

"I'm Anko Mitarashi, you're proctor for the second exam! Are you ready? Let's go!" I can practically hear Ibiki's eye roll in the otherwise dead silent room, Anko is a little early that's for sure. Blushing a little awkwardly she then gives Ibiki crap about the number of teams and then tells us where to meet her tomorrow morning at eight a.m sharp. She gives me a subtle hand sign on her way out that lets me know she's proud, and I head home for the day. Or at least I try to, I'm halfway there when I get cornered by the sand trio. I hope my being intimidated is not as obvious as it feels. Temari gives me an icy look.

"Why'd you help us out with the test answers? Are you playing some kind of game?" Shrugging I look between the three of them.

"Not really, you did me a favour and checked on me even though you don't know me. I figured I'd return the favour to you, especially considering being on your bad sides seems like a bad move, is that so hard to believe?" It's the truth, after all, she had shown me kindness and I returned the favour. Blinking slowly she takes a step back.

"Right... It's just odd that you knew all the answers beforehand, how'd you do that? Knick 'em from somebody?" Beginning my walk again, a bit more slowly this time, I motion for them to follow me. Which they do after a moment.

"Nope, just good a knowing things. It's a special talent of mine, have you three tried any of the restaurants here in Konoha?" Temari is walking next to me, while the boys hang back. She shudders a little bit at my question, making a face of disgust.

"Yeah, foods a lot different here. Not necessarily in a good way, why?"

"I know a place that makes food from the different villages, they have a wide array of foods made in Suna. I can show you the way if you like, I'm acquainted with the woman who owns the place. She's quite nice, oh is that your sensei up ahead?" The man in question is giving me a very disturbing look as he approaches.

"That won't be necessary. My genins have other things to do." Temari and Kankuro give me apologetic looks for their sensei's rudeness, but before I can shrug it off and say it's alright, Gaara speaks. It's the first time I've heard the jinchuuriki speak myself, of course, I might have just missed it during the exam.

"I'm going." The three of them freeze, but Baki seems to immediately cave. Smart man. He lets them all go with me but tells them to be back in the hotel before ten p.m. A bit more exuberantly before I lead the three of them to the Watanabe sector of the village. Suddenly I remember something and turn apologetically to them.

"Is it alright if we run past my home a moment? I forgot that I'm expecting a courier crow from my grandfather on what trade caravan they joined with this morning." When there is no protest, I change our direction and lead them to my home, allowing them to follow me in. Catching the young crow in the kitchen picking at the fruit, I scold it lightly.

"No, cherry pits are bad for you Minyon. You know that now give me the scroll." Minyon nips at my hand and dances away from me, the cherry pit still in his beak. Temari and Kankuro chuckle at me. "Minyon, bad bird. Don't make me tell grandfather you haven't been behaving! You know how disappointed he'll be in you." He suddenly deflates and spits the cherry pit out, approaching me sadly. Holding his leg out with the scroll, taking it I quickly pen a response and pet his head gently.

"See? Not so hard, here have blueberry. Now go on, he'll be expecting you little one." He flies out happily, and I turn to face an amused Temari and Kankuro. Waving them off, I lead the way back outside, and before we know it we're at Cousin Akaya's restaurant. She greets me happily, pulling me into a full body hug and lifting me off the ground easily. The main reason I never visit her, she has no boundaries.

"Little Violetta! It's been so long, it's almost like you don't even live in the village! I see you brought some friends, from the sand, eh? Lucky for you I just got in a fresh shipment of sand scorpions, I bet you're already missing the food from home. Violetta, you can pick wherever you like to sit. I'll send Rivaya out in a minute." With that, she vanishes into the kitchen with a well-practiced flourish, and I lead the group over to the corner. Temari picks at the tablecloth lightly.

"She is a... happy woman." Laughing lightly I look to see where Rivaya is.

"Oh most definitely, Cousin Akaya is a people person and I don't visit her restaurant often. Her husband trades mostly food goods, that's why she's able to run a place with foods from so many different places. Oh, hello Rivaya, how are you today?" The young girl is only about seven, and she carefully places four menus on the table. A smile on her face.

"I got 'cepted to the academy! Mama cried a lot about it, I like your friends! Hi Violetta's friends! I'm Rivaya, mama says I'm going to be your server today." Temari and Kankuro offer her small smiles, and introduce themselves, as well as Gaara when he says nothing.

"Cool! I bet you guys are awesome shinobi, papa lived in the sand before he married mama and he says sand shinobi are really good. I really like your fan Temari-chan! And Gaara-chan, your gourd looks like it's super cool too! Do you guys know what you want to drink?" Kankuro looks put out that he received no compliment, but Temari just hushes him and sends Gaara a worried glance.

"Do you have cactus juice?" Rivaya nods, bouncing happily with her little notepad.

"Yep! Mama grows them actually, cactuses are pretty. Or is it cacti? I don't know, but they're pretty! Is that what all of you want?" Temari nods and begins to peruse the menu.

"What about you Violetta-chan? Tea?" Shaking my head I hand her my menu back.

"Just tell your mama I'll have the usual, where's your sister?" Rivaya gets a sad look on her face.

"She left with papa this morning, she says it's time for her to start looking for a husband. I'm not very happy about it." Giving her my sympathies I send her to the kitchen to see her mother about the drinks. Gaara has yet to open his menu, while the other two are looking at theirs curiously.

"Gaara-san, is something the matter?" He shakes his head slowly, an odd look on his face.

"That girl was very odd. What is it that you get?" Smiling I take the menu and open it.

"It's this, something from Land of Earth. It's just chicken and potatoes that are fried the way some other foods are. I quite like it. The foods from the Land of Wind are here." Showing him the appropriate place to look, I turn to see Rivaya very carefully carrying a tray with our drinks on it. She comes over and sets it on the table. The look of pure accomplishment on her face is priceless.

"Okay, done! That's the first time I didn't spill, do you guys know what you want to order?" Temari and Kankuro both nod, Temari gets the sand scorpion platter, and Kankuro gets the scorpion and cactus platter. Gaara gives no answer but looks a little confused as he examines the menu.

"Gaara-chan? Do you not know what you want yet? Mama always says if you don't know what you want to eat, just pick what someone else is getting. If that helps." Gaara looks up at me briefly and turns to Rivaya. He just gives her a blank stare, and finally, Temari just orders for him. Poor kid, he's not used to people not being afraid. Rivaya nods and bows a little before rushing back to the kitchen, skittering back a moment later to retrieve the menus from my hand. Several minutes of uncomfortably tense silence follow. From what I can tell, these guys aren't used to getting much socialization. Thankfully, Rivaya appears carrying the platter of our meals even more cautiously. Seeing as we're the only customers I have no idea why her mother doesn't help her out, I would but I know the woman would have my head for it.

Suddenly Rivaya loses her balance and nearly falls to the ground with the platter, but before I can even move to try and stop it, the most amazing thing has happened. Sand has stopped both her own fall and the fall of the platter.


	31. Chapter 31

**Exams; Violetta POV**

Oh, wow. That was something else, but before I can say anything about it the sand trio is gone. A few bills left on the table but gone without a trace otherwise. It was nice of them to leave money even if they did run off without so much as a goodbye. I help Rivaya clean up our table and take my food to go. Making sure to give her a good tip since I know there are some shinobi tools she wants to buy herself. Waving goodbye I head home to meditate and then rest up for tomorrow morning. That sand trio is an odd bunch.

* * *

 **Dreams That Night**

 _In the Forest of Death, I watched as Gaara crushed the first Rain Village shinobi and then his teammates. His blood lust was palpable, even in my dream. Kiba, Shino, and Hinata were hiding nearby, and my heart nearly flew out of my chest when he raised a hand in their direction. Fortunately, he simply corked his gourd and he and his team went on their way. Team Eight was relieved as well and waited cautiously for the Sand Ninja to be a safe distance away, avoiding taking the same path._

 _Then the scene changed and I found Team Seven facing off against a man far stronger than a genin, who then identified himself as Orochimaru. Naruto was nowhere in sight for the first part of the battle, but he suddenly appeared. The nine tail's chakra surfacing at one point, before being sealed dangerously by Orochimaru. Orochimaru gave Sasuke a mark I recognized from Anko-shishou's neck, and that left Sakura to get her teammates somewhere safe and defend them. She was barely able to do so, and the Sound Ninja trio eventually started to overpower her. However, Lee, bless his heart, attempted to come to her rescue. Soon enough Team Ten joins the fray, the rest of Lee's team as well, and then Sasuke awakens. A dark power warping him, until a tearful Sakura ends his rampage._

 _Finally, I'm at the end of the second stage. There are preliminary matches, where Kabuto forfeits claiming to be too injured to continue. Sasuke nearly loses control of the mark during his match. Many of the results shock me, but I'm most shocked by Lee's battle. My heart shatters for him, and I know there must be something I can do._

 _Naruto meets Jiraiya, his godfather, and learns to summon toads. Sasuke learns the Chidori from Kakashi, which I remember briefly seeing in the book he gave me._

 _I see Gaara kill the only sound ninja to make it to the finals, and I see him try once again to kill Lee. Only to be thwarted, thankfully, before he can accomplish his goal._

 _I stand on top of the Hokage monument, the leaf village was a war zone below me. Sand ninja and far more sound ninja filled the village, fighting the Leaf Shinobi and attempting to kill any civilians that crossed their paths. My mother and Aunt Mara fought side by side in the Watanabe District, the elite guard fighting as well. Defending the people barricaded in the safe house._

 _Dozens of other scenes flash through my mind, including the Hokage's death, before I finally wake up._

* * *

 **Morning of the Second part of the Chuunin Exams; Violetta POV**

I wake up gasping, coughing blood and I can feel it running down my face from my eyes and nose as well. The bed sheets around me are thoroughly saturated as well, and it takes several minutes for the coughing to end and the blood flow to slow. Carefully, I maneuver out of bed and gather up the bedclothes and pillows. I set them in the always filled laundry basin at the base of the stairs and then head back up to take a shower. A lot of the blood in my curly hair is already dried and is difficult to get out. Using the straightening shampoo Ino gave me gets rid of it for the most part and after I use the flaming palm jutsu to heat my hands to dry my hair, I tie it up in a bun. Everything from my dreams is still rushing through my head, but I just have to do what I can. The flashes showed me that some things have to be left alone, but some can be changed.

I write what I know is safe to share and drop it off with Hokage-sama on my way through the village.

Making my way to the Forest of Death is a slow process, I'm light headed and a bit weary from the blood loss. Ignoring it I trudge on and give the other's a soft smile when I see them. Kiba seems to notice something is wrong, he probably smells the blood, but I wave him off. It's been a while since it's been this bad, but I'm still used to it. Reluctantly he stays with his team, and I make my way to where Anko-shishou's kunai is going to pass by when she throws it at Naruto, just bit in front of and to the side of where Nartuo himself is going to be standing. It's not long before the day begins.

"This place is called the Forest of Death, you'll soon realize why.-" She whips her kunai at Naruto but before it can strike his cheek, I reach out and grab it by the handle. It stops only a little ways away from the side of Naruto's face. I drop it on the ground casually, but Anko-shishou grins at me. Bad feeling about that.

"Ah, well, I was going to make a point but never mind. Good job my little protege, oh and for those of you that aren't aware... That girl right there is my one and only student, so hopefully, you'll all be getting some ideas right about now! Before you can take the exams you all have to sign this, it's a waiver form. From here on out there are going to be bodies coming out of this exam, and I need your permission for that! Otherwise, it's on me." She hands someone the stack to begin passing them around and continues.

"First, I'll give you step-by-step instruction on the terrain of this..." Slowly I zone out and begin surveying the crowd instead. No need to listen right now to things I already know, I've got to start planning as far ahead as I can go. If you want to try and outmaneuver a sannin... I tune back in when she gets to the part about solo competitors.

"Solo competitors will be given both heaven and earth scrolls to protect and transport. Now, fill out your forms and collect your scrolls." With that Anko-shishou flourishes off to stand by the scroll station.

I fill my form out easily and go to the stand, turning it in and receiving the heaven and earth scrolls which seal into two different sealing scrolls. I pass Anko-shishou a note while I'm at it, and she tells me to go to gate three. I see her eyes widen when she opens the note. It reads, 'Orochimaru is here, grass nin with the long hair, going after Sasuke to give him a mark like yours. Kabuto, teammates, and the sound nin are with him. Don't interfere, trust me. I already sent the Hokage a note with all of the details of things to come that can be shared. Burn immediately upon reading and proceed as normal.' I hear the paper light up a few seconds later, hopefully, she follows the rest of the instructions as well. It seems like ages before the exam finally begins, but with it is the real start of the upcoming war.

* * *

My trek through the forest is slow, almost leisurely. I carefully avoid rushing ahead into the mess of other teams, and instead, I loop around the entire training grounds not far from the gate and see what information I can gather about what direction each team is traveling in. Everything that's supposed to happen in the forces can't be meddled with and so I have to keep myself from interfering with any of the proceedings, no matter how much I want to. Frankly, I'd probably get myself killed if I tried to stop it, and Team Seven is going to need Kabuto to finish these exams so as much as I want to run the traitorous bastard through with a kunai, I can't.

Finally, I manage to map out what seems like a moderately safe path to the tower and begin to follow it. I nearly run into other teams a few times, but traveling alone affords me the ability to hide and mask my chakra much more easily. Paralytic smoke bombs that Anko-shishou had given me are probably the main reason I don't get caught. It's nearly nightfall before I'm almost at the tower, exhausted and a little worse for the wear, but I suddenly run into something much more terrifying than another shinobi team.

A small pack of three enormous wolves is in the middle of finishing their meal when I nearly get too close for comfort. Immediately they turn towards me, and begin approaching. Snarling and giving me menacing growls they slowly approach, I back away towards the nearest tree carefully. Launching myself up towards the branches, I barely avoid one of their lunges. Rushing quickly to the tower covering the remaining distance, I hear them pursuing on the ground. When I reach the tower I have to drop to the ground because there is no longer tree cover, and the wolves are hot on my heels. As I open the door one of their claws catches my lower back and side roughly, and I try not to scream in pain as I force the door closed. Groaning I sink to the floor and pull my knee to my chest, looking around I blink wearily at the words on the wall.

Rolling my eyes I unseal my two scrolls and unfurl them together, smiling at Iruka-sensei when he appears.

"Hi Iruka-sensei, good to see you again. I'd love to chat, but I think I need a medic at the moment." Iruka-sensei gives me a shocked once over and begins to fret over me. He helps me to my feet and points me in the direction of the medical area, saying that he can't go with me past this point because it violates the rules. I brush him off with a polite 'that's okay, thank you' and use the wall to help support me the rest of the way, and then I s3have to deal with the medical ninja. They stitch and bandage me up as quickly as possible and send me on my way, instructing me to be careful as they claws of the wolves in this forest often contain contaminants that slow healing and cause infection, but that they can only do the minimum until the official end of the second exams. Painfully I make my way in the direction they indicated the rooms for Leaf Village teams that had finished the exams were, nearly running head on into Team Eight. Kiba gives me a worried once over, and I answer before he can ask.

"Apparently, there are wolves in the Forest of Death and they don't like people. I'm ready to get some rest, have you guys picked a room yet?" Kiba throws my left arm over his shoulders, avoiding my damaged right side and carefully avoiding my back as well.

"Yeah, and you can bunk with us. I don't want you wandering about on your own, the wolves in this forest are something else and there's this one Sand shinobi... Let's just say you need to stay away from him, he's bad news." I nod and turn my attention to his teammates.

"Shino-kun, Hinata-chan, how are you?" Shino adjusts his glasses, and Hinata flusters.

"I am well, we completed the exams second. You are third. My ability to communicate with insects was most beneficial."

"F-fine Violetta-san, ano... How badly were you injured?" Shino opens the door, and Kiba leads me inside sitting me on a bed I'm guessing is his own.

"I've had worse, the claw marks go from the right side of my rib cage down just short of the side of my left hip. It's not too deep, but they were worried about infections." Growling a little Kiba sat down beside me, Akamaru whining quietly from inside his coat.

"I'll take a look, Hinata has a salve that'll work better than whatever they put on it anyway." And so, Kiba unwraps my banadages gently and prods the wound carefully. Akamaru finally emerges and sniffs at it cautiously. Finally, he barks the all clear on the potential of infection from anything other than not keeping it clean in the future. Kiba helps me apply Hinata's balm, and then rewrap the wounds. Kiba volunteers for first watch and tells the rest of us to get some sleep.

I doze off easily, the days activities wearing on me, and when Kiba later tries to go to take Shino's spot on the floor and nearly wakes me up, I grap his jacket and scoot over on the bed. "I'm cold." Is the excuse I give, but really I'm just worried about the nightmares I know may come later.


	32. Chapter 32

Passing Teams; The Rookie Nine, Team Gai, Sand Trio, The Sound Trio, Kabuto's Team, and a Team from the Village Hidden in the Mist

 **Violetta POV**

The final day of the exams we were all called to a room, which looked much like a small training/battlegrounds. Kiba and his teammates had kept close to me the last few days, Kiba and I sharing a bed the majority of the time. My nightmares worried him, but I told him I'd explain everything after the end of the chuunin exams. The Hokage goes on for a bit before finally Gekko begins the exams. However, Kabuto- the uninjured traitor- and two severely wounded Mist Ninja forfeit the exams. The remaining Mist Nin is a girl a little older than myself, who frankly looks absolutely terrifying. I think I'd rather face Gaara than her with the look she's wearing right now.

Sasuke match is up first, and just as predicted he wins, barely. Copying Lee's hard-earned move was a cheap trick and frankly a cheap imitation. There's no need to interfere, but I'm hoping the Hokage heeded my message to station extra Anbu and at least several more jounin and chuunin in the area of his recovery room in order to capture Kabuto. I had recommended the Ino-Shika-Cho trios parents as Inoichi would have to interrogate him anyway, and they were battle-hardened in a way Kabuto didn't yet know.

Shino wins his match against the Sound Ninja Zaku, who fakes the severity of his injuries, easily enough. He is quite humble and matter of fact in his winning, and I smile and clap proudly. He's really an impressive shinobi and person, it's sad people underestimate him because of his silence and bloodline limits.

Kankuro faces off against Kabuto's other teammate, whose body bends in frankly scary ways. A product of Orochimaru's modifications of course, but after a moderately entertaining battle, he too is defeated. He is carted off, body still distended in odd ways due to his unconsciousness and the medic-nin have trouble. I watch quietly as their 'sensei' makes off, this part goes fine so I've done nothing. He doesn't want Sasuke dead-yet- and he can't risk trying to kill Kakashi here and now.

The next battle rolls onto the screen, and I jump in excitement. Ino is going to destroy Sakura, I know it. If she hadn't joined me in training it probably would have ended in a stupid double knockout or something, but now she's stronger than Sakura and I'm so glad that I get to see this. I hop over to the Sand Trio's side quickly, and kind of rock on my feet a little beside Temari. She gives me an odd look but says nothing. Sakura and Ino's match begins.

"Ino-pig, why don't you just give up now! We both know I'm the stronger kunoichi." Ino huffs and rolls her eyes, her floral green and teal clothing making her look much more serious against Sakura's pink and red, particularly considering the forest environment they had just come from.

"No thanks, billboard brow. I'll end this no problem, I've been working ten times harder than you every day! It's my time to shine, got it?"

"Hm, you're still jealous Sasuke is my teammate! You know you are Ino-pig!" Ino doesn't respond and so Sakura huffs, and charges at Ino, much slower than she should be this far along in her career. Ino dodges when she gets very close, tripping Sakura easily. Putting distance between them, she ends up on my side of the arena. Shoulder's straight and proud, she pulls off her headband and looks at Sakura seriously.

"I'm a shinobi of the leaf village and know this. We fight today as equals, not rivals. I'm not fighting for Sasuke anymore, and I'm no frivolous little girl like I once was. I've grown up, and you should too." Ino refastens her headbands properly, the way my own is fastened. Sakura stands and does the same, charging again. Ino parries her easily, whipping kunai at Sakura with practiced ease, and flexing out of her range with more mobility than Sakura possesses. Temari makes a noise beside me. I turn to her.

"What?" She looks over briefly before retraining her eyes on the battle.

"I expected leaf kunoichi to be stronger than this, it's disappointing. They're lukewarm at best, playing with kiddy gloves." Laughing lightly I shrug.

"Ino's going easy on her, they used to be friends. It's more like... Sakura's usually ice cold and Ino's at least getting close to hot for a genin. But Sakura's angry and Ino doesn't want to injure a fellow leaf ninja too severely. I assure you, we leaf kunoichi are stronger than you think." Rolling her eyes she continues watching in silence, right as Ino pulls out of a spinning heel kick that would have knocked Sakura out. Sakura stands back and glares.

"Don't go easy on me just because we used to be friends! Or are you just that bad of a ninja Ino-pig? I thought you were supposed to be clan heir or something, more like the ugly clan failure!" Ino glares right back and grins viciously. Sakura just crossed a line that should not be crossed with Ino.

"You want me to go hard, you got it. Bye." Ino vanishes, at least she would to Sakura's eye. At her speed a shinobi with adequate training can see her just fine, she's not as fast as Lee or even me, but she's still a lot faster than Sakura. This time her spinning heel kick lands, a wide-eyed Sakura flies into the wall and collapses unconscious. I grin proudly, atta girl! Go Ino! Temari lets out a surprised noise beside me, but when Gekko calls the match and Sakura is carted off, and then her name and Tenten's roll across the screen she grins at me.

"Now we'll see if you're actually right about that." Smiling at her, I hop back over to my own side. Stopping Tenten briefly.

"She uses wind attacks, your weapons will just be blown off. Take these and get it away from her." I pass her my sensu fans subtly and smile at the light in her eyes. I've been teaching her to use fans to defend against different attacks when we train together since they can be used even when she's throwing weapons and is kind of vulnerable in the air. Facing off against Temari, she stands her ground proudly like a real Kunoichi, all business no play. She runs the gambit around Temari before sliding in to sweep her legs, Temari attempts to use her wind attack. However, Tenten uses my own fans as shields flat against her arms and withstands the wind, and knocks Temari off of her feet. She tackles her fan away from her in the confusion and launches into the air to use her weapons. Temari takes to long to gain her bearings, and it's not long before Gekko calls the match when Temari is pinning with weapons and a kunai to her throat. That's one sand sibling out of the game if only I had been able to figure out how to get the other two out of play as well. The best I can do for Lee is trying to lessen his injuries a bit. Gai claps Tenten on the back proudly, exclaiming on her powers of youth, and she passes my fans back to me without anything but a silent thank you. Temari is mostly unscathed, and treks up to her side unhappily, only to find a hidden note where she had been standing before the match begin. With instructions not to open it until she begins to head back to the Sand tomorrow. She seems willing to listen and pockets it without so much as letting her sensei get a glimpse at the fact that she's received a secret correspondence.

The next match is Shikamaru and the Sound Kunoichi, Kin. He somehow manages to defeat her, and her hypnotic bells, without ever moving his feet. Impressive.

Next is the match that makes me hurt a little, but Kiba has to learn that Naruto is changing somehow. Frankly, he's not the type to learn easily, and when Naruto pulls off yet another variation of Lee's signature move I am a little bit peeved off but hey, unlike Sasuke he kind of has to take what he can get.

Neji faces off against Hinata after that, and I growl lowly at his obvious hatred for her and the main branch. I had thought he had become better than that, but apparently not. Hinata has taken many of Naruto's words to heart, lamenting on her own way of the ninja. She fights until every tenkutsu point is sealed, she shouldn't be able to stand but still is. I can see it coming, so I yell out to Neji, hoping he listens.

"Neji-chan, you are better than this!" Freezing in his stance he turns to me briefly, and then to Gekko.

"If she continues she will die Gekko-san. Hinata-sama, I see that you have changed, but not yet are you ready to defeat me. I have trained longer and posses more skills than you do at this point in your shinobi career. Please, forfeit before I must do something regrettable." Hinata is shocked but nods, acquiescing her defeat in the face of her cousin's acknowledgment of her change, collapsing into his arms as Gekko calls the match. I'm glad I've spent so much time with him lately, otherwise, that wouldn't have worked. As he follows Hinata and the medics out, the match I dread the most begins, and I once again hop over to the sand side. Gaara versus Rock Lee. The match goes as I'd expected, but this time I field the questions from Gaara's siblings, rather than Kankuro going to our side. I watch as Lee gets so close to winning, and I watch as Gaara is about to crush his leg and arm, but Gekko calls it before he gets the chance. No doubt acting at the Hokage's command, however, Gaara attempts to continue until Gai steps in. Instead of never being a shinobi again, Lee will just have some recovery time for some standard breakage. I hope he forgives me and Gekko for making sure his match ends prematurely.

The Sound Nin that face Chouji wins, and I sigh at how easily he was defeated before turning my attention to my own match.

The girl from the Mist is named Aiya, and she wears a broadsword across her back. Her hair is cropped short and choppy and reminds me somewhat of Anko's hair if it were shorter. However, once we are on the battlefield she becomes a bit less purposefully intimidating and actually smiles at me when Gekko begins the match.

"You're a Watanabe right? I hear your swordwork is supposed to be amazing, it's an honor to face someone from your clan in battle. I hope to one day become an elite swordsman of the Mist Village, and this is just the first of many challenges I will face on that path." I give her a smile back, and unseal my swords and put them in place.

"In that case, I will do you the honor of facing you in battle with my swords instead of my usual weapons. I hope you do well, but I also hope you lose."

"The same to you." The room becomes a blur of metal and sparks, her own sword clashing with both of mine with the speed of two swords. I pulse chakra to activate the shield fans that my brother had given to me, and I'm pleased at how helpful they are. Eventually, I realize that her few extra years of training and the fact that I'm wearing weight on my legs and had replaced my body weights as well means she's far faster, at least as skilled, and as smart as I am. The only thing keeping my head on my shoulders is pure unadulterated instinct. I see no way to win without taking my weights off, and so I follow in Lee's steps and launch on top of the statue.

"I'm afraid I have a trick to use, and I'm afraid my training partner already displayed it so it won't be nearly as impressive." I snap my arm weight off towards the ground and then pull off my thigh, leg, and body weights in quick succession. "Much better, let's continue." Now I'm faster, and instinct is what's saving her.

"Watanabe Art; Watanabe Aerial!" I spiral with all four swords pulling them into blocks and swings before releasing them with force back into the air around me as I leap over her head, knocking out her knees. A sword in each hand, and then a sword embeds itself on either side of her legs. She concedes, and I gather my swords and help her to her feet. Smiling I give her a firm handshake.

"Excellent, your swordsmanship skills are actually far better than my own. Go to the Watanabe district in the Mist, tell them the Daughter of Akira of the Leaf sends you." Nodding she bows politely to me before taking her leave, but then turns and places something in my hand. A piece of paper that I place in a pocket without looking,


	33. Chapter 33

**Violetta's POV; After the Preliminary Rounds**

Afterward, when all of the failed competitors had been sent on their way, we were gathered up and given another speech. One I already understood, for the most part, and I had bigger things to worry about. Like the scary look that Anko-sensei was giving me, or the faint buzzing of a vision in the back of my head. However, when we got to the part about whom we would be assigned to face off against I tuned in once again and drew my number. Baki presented us with the bracket.

Sasuke vs. Gaara

Shino vs. Kankuro

Shikamaru vs. Ino

Neji vs. Naruto

Dosu vs. Violetta

In one month's time, we'll reconvene in the stadium to compete. When we're dismissed for the day, the Hokage gives me a brief hand sign, and I know to circle back. On my way around the building, I pull out the note given to me by Aiya.

 _'I won't be leaving the village until my teammates are cleared to travel, come and find me if you want.'_ Laughing I clutch my chest, that is a very bold move. I wonder...

Oh well, I find myself back in the arena before long and Gekko directs me off to a side room and follows me in. It's filled with the Hokage, the jounin sensei's, the exam proctors, the parents of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Shino's parents, Hana, Tsume (and their ninken), a few Anbu who look worse for the wear, and a bound and chakra cuffed Kabuto. The energy and killing intent filling the room makes me want to back out very slowly and not come back any time in the near future. It's like there's no air, and I find myself about to fall to my knees when a wave of calm washes over me. Smiling at the Hokage I nod gratefully and sit in the chair procured for me by Gekko.

"That's enough everyone, remember yourselves. Violetta-chan, I believe it's time to share some things with the people in this room. However, I will not do so without your permission and would prefer if you would share the information yourself. Is that something you'd consider, as you had asked for these individuals to be gathered?" Stiffening I examine the room and lock eyes on two of the anbu who had apprehended Kabuto. Root agents, the Hokage and I have discussed them before. I nod at them.

"Those two have to go, their invitation is revoked. Then I'll start talking." The masked Anbu's stiffen, and the other shinobi in the room are confused greatly. Hokage-sama simply nods and directs them out of the room, when they try to suppress their chakra and hide within earshot, I snark out.

"That means out of earshot, not just the room." Reluctantly they finally begin to head back to the village. I imagine that whoever it is that leads them, I've never been quite sure as he's not someone I've ever really seen in my visions I just know those Anbu in Root are not to be trusted- mostly on gut instinct- will be hearing about this meeting.

Sighing softly at their disappearance, I smile innocently at Kabuto first, "Ah, a traitor meets a traitors fate. Don't harbor any illusions of being rescued. You're just another pet to Orochimaru, and he won't blink twice at your loss. Also, considering there are plans in place to lessen what is going to occur you won't be rescued in that chaos either. I've already seen how this plays out, you see Kabuto-san, I can see what has happened, what is happening, and what is going to happen. Many things are fluid, but your fate is sealed. Much like the fate of Orochimaru and his other disciples." Grunting Kabuto jerks on his bonds, but is met only with pain for his efforts. The rest of the room is deadly silent, and protests begin to rise up, but Anko-shishou hushes them all.

"Shut up, asswads, you remember that night in the bar? When Asuma touched her and hell broke loose? That was her having a fucking vision, kid still hasn't told me about what the hell she saw. All I know is she was a mess after, and I know Gai has seen others. I've known for ages now, it's legit. So hush and listen." A few more minutes of silence follow as the room processes this, recalling incidents with me in the past. After a bit, I begin to tell that what I had told the Hokage.

"I had visions of what would occur at these exams in the past few days, and at the exams in one month's time. However, I have changed a few things in the time already that has passed. In one month's time, an invasion will still occur despite this. Any efforts to cancel, or anything that would alert Orochimaru to our knowledge of his plans, cannot occur. The outcomes are far worse if the exams are canceled. This way, we know to expect it and have ample time to prepare." Questions begin to be raised on how we can just decide to let an invasion occur if he isn't going to know anyway since we captured Kabuto, and a million other things. However, it's Gai's booming voice cutting through in pure rage that startles me the most.

"HOW DARE YOU! You claim to see the future yet you let several of your comrades be injured, some came near to having their shinobi careers ended today! The young Uchiha has been given a possibly deadly mark, Hinata suffers in intensive care, and my own students has many weeks of recovery ahead. You say you have already changed things, but I see nothing but damage here today! If what you say is true about seeing the future, then I say this to you, How dare you call yourself a shinobi of the leaf village, and more so, how dare you call yourself their friend!" Gai's killing intent is crushing, and I know it is the pain at this student's injuries that make him this way, but I can feel the tears streaming down my face as my body trembles nonetheless.

"I agree, how dare I call myself their friend when I cannot prevent all harm that would befall them when I see it. However, know this. If Ororchimaru had not been able to give him the curse mark, he would have killed Sasuke and his teammates. Had Sasuke not been giving the curse mark, and Orochimaru decided to try again someday soon, he still would have died at the hand of someone in those exams. I saw it a million ways, it is what saved his life and his teammate's lives. As well as several other leaf ninjas at one point in time, Kabuto was allowed to participate because he would be the reason they finished the exams. Yes, Hinata is in intensive care, but it would have been much worse if I had not called out to your student. If I had not formed a bond with him that made him listen, Hinata needed to prove herself and she did, and she will recover before the month is even out instead of the several months it would have taken instead. And Lee... He may have nearly lost his ability to be a shinobi today, but had I not told Hokage-sama instructions to have Gekko-sama end his match at that moment, he would have completely lost it. Instead of a few minor breaks, his bones would have been shattered beyond repair, and had he not competed today or had his match called even sooner he would have felt nothing but hopelessness and he would have drowned in it despite your best efforts. So yes, how dare I call myself a shinobi of the leaf, how dare I call myself their friend, but there is nothing you can say that will make me feel any more ashamed than I do every day of my life. I cannot change everything, cannot stop everything, and no matter how much I want to I cannot save everyone. It rips my heart out to know that, that many times when I see something there is nothing or little I can actually do to change it. I cannot pull another's punches, only lessen their blows."

Gai's killing intent had slowly faded away, and he stood there his head hung. My body still shook, racked with sobs and pain. The Hokage nods solemnly at me.

"There is nothing for you to feel shame for my dear, you have a great burden to bear. One no one in this room can imagine holding at such a young age, now it's time to discuss what is going to happen in the upcoming days. You had said you would explain more details after the exam." Nodding I, straighten up a bit, but don't wipe away any of my tears.

"The Kazekage is dead, he is being impersonated by Orochimaru-sama. I have passed a message to Temari of the Sand, whom I helped in the written exam, to pass through a certain place in the desert where one of my grandfather's crows has hidden another message on her father's body. However, she cannot under any circumstances stop the invasion until after it starts. I foresee that her council will heed her instructions, and pretend to continue with the plan in order to keep Orochimaru from turning on them. Gaara of the Sand is an unstable Jinchuuriki, and is not to be engaged by anyone other than Naruto and those who will accompany him when the time comes. These are all of the concrete details I feel can be divulged, the rest is too sensitive to outside interference and I will have to resolve it myself at that moment or direct another individual at that exact moment and no other. Are there any questions?" A few stand out, but most of them are unanswerable.

"I can't tell you where to be, just do as you will. It falls into place, and no you cannot divulge this information with any soul outside of this room. Iruka-sensei and a few select members of my clan- though many suspect- are aware of this. It a dangerous thing, and I am not yet skilled enough to defend myself against those who would use my gift for nefarious purposes. I'm not sure that I ever will be, but I trust every one of you not only with my life but with the safety of this village. I have nothing more to say on these matters." The room slowly dissolves into various conversations, and I relax a little, wincing when I realize my back and side are bleeding through my bandages. I must have ripped them open a bit at some point, what a bother. Tsume approaches me, giving a little sniff in my direction.

"You know, I always thought there was something different about you pup. Got torn up a little I see, I can smell the blood. Barely of course, you smell like my kid, what've you been doing sleeping with him for the last couple of days?" A flush covers my face vibrantly as Tsume begins to laugh, but then stops confused.

"Wait, have you? Oh fuck, that's great! I'm gonna give him so much shit about that. So, what're the injuries."

"Got caught from just under my right side ribs down to the lower left of my back by one of the wolves in the forest. Think I ripped it open a little." Tsume drops down to her knees and leans forward, sniffing more closely to my wounds. Making a nasty face.

"Ya need to clean it, smells like it's about to get infected. Not from the wolves though, so that's good. You heading home now?" Looking over at the Hokage, he gives me the all clear. I imagine the room is going to be filled with brainstorming shinobi for many hours yet. However, my presence is not needed.

"Yes, I don't believe I'll be needed anymore today." Nodding curtly, Tsume rises and gives me a grin.

"Come on then, ya can stay at the house till you're healed up. I've heard all about how bad you are at tending your wounds. You can even steal Kiba's bed!" Tsume laughs merrily when I turn vibrantly red at that, and Hana joins us with the ninken as we depart. Giving me a sly grin and joining her mother in teasing me the entire way to their house. Which is as far as possible from the Forest of Death, obviously.


	34. Chapter 34

**Violetta POV**

When I woke up the next morning, in Kiba's bed, my entire body ached. I knew that throwing out a Watanabe Aerial was a bad idea, at least it wasn't the Butterfly Technique or the Crysallis Awakening or something. Then I'd be in the hospital, which I probably should have visited yesterday, but didn't. I can hear Tsume and Hana talking quietly in the other room, doing their best not to wake me. Considerate on their part, but considering it is lunchtime now it's not really necessary.

Sitting up slowly and cautiously, I wince as my joints pop and my muscles stretch out painfully in protest. Tsume and Hana go silent. I pad softly with bare feet into the living room where they sit on the couch, both of them eye me mischievously. Ugh, these two. Tsume gives me a once over and starts the teasing right away.

"So, in a couple of years, this is what we can expect every morning, yeah?" Hana snickers and nudges her mother.

"Ma, they're shinobi! It'll probably start within the next couple of months!" Groaning I run my hand through my very messy hair.

"Uh, no. Thank you very much for letting me stay the night. I have to get home and get ready, and then I have some things to attend to." Bowing politely I throw my shoes on and rush out, and I can hear the sniggers all the way down the little gravel path.

Sighing dramatically, I rush home as quickly as I dare. My wounds pull uncomfortably in addition to the soreness of my body, but I make it in a reasonable amount of time to shower and change into decent clothes among other things.

* * *

When I left my house once again, it was to wander off in search of Anko-shishou. Who, conveniently, was nowhere to be found. Obviously. Instead, I made my way to the hospital to visit Kiba and the others. I stop at a Watanabe flower shop on the way and pick up peonies, known for their healing power. One for everyone in the hospital. Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, Sasuke, Lee, Chouji, and two extras for rooms that I see don't have any.

Walking into the hospital I waved politely to the nurse at the front desk and made my way through the halls. Lee, Hinata, and Sasuke were still unconscious so I only left their flowers and sat for a few moments. Chouji blushed profusely when I delivered his flower to him and informed me he was going to be discharged today. They deemed his concussion minor enough to go home, but I didn't miss the way he flushed when Ino popped in to visit him.

On my way to Kiba and Akamaru's room, I ran into someone who was nearly running full tilt in the hallway. I slam bodily into the edge of the wall and then hit the floor, but I protect the flowers to the best of my ability. Whoever has run into me lands painfully on top of me, and takes a moment to roll off. Sitting up takes a bit of work, and I lean breathlessly and painfully against the wall. Looking over I'm greeted by the sight of Aiya, from the preliminaries, who gives me a playful grin.

"Sorry about that, I'm running to check on my teammates. You're not hurt are you?" Smiling back I slowly rise up off of the floor.

"It's fine. I am hurt, but that happened long before you ran into me. How are your teammates?" Frowning she also stands and brushes herself off.

"They're not doing well, the rain ninja we ran into in the exam used some kind of poison that they can't find an antidote for. It's slow working, but if we don't locate an antidote soon they won't make it, even with an antidote the recovery time can be months. I got lucky I wasn't hit with their water jutsu." Nodding softly, I tip my head and held out two of the slightly damaged flowers for her to take.

"Here, bring these to them for me. Do you know what poison was used, or what antidote they need?" She shrugs loosely.

"Not really, it was just a bunch of numbers to me. I don't even really understand the effects of it, Jin is kinda the brains of our operation when it comes to non-battle stuff."

"Right well, I'll see what I can do, yeah? I'll see you later." Going towards Kiba's room once again I sigh when I see he too is sleeping. I place the flowers in the bedside vase and unseal the pouch from my scroll that contains the ten poisons and antidotes from my grandfather.

 _Poison Number 776, Blood Infection Poison, Does not lose effectiveness with air exposure, see page seven for weapon application instructions. Side Effects: Prevention of Coagulation, Immediate wound area numbness, raised veins spreading from the wound, body numbness, temporary paralysis, difficulty breathing, other side effects unknown. Fatality Potential: Within Ten hours from single contact point if left untreated. Antidote Number 773-6_

 _Poison Number 832, Near Instant Death Poison, loses effectiveness in those with fire nature chakra. Not for use in the land of fire. Must enter the digestive system directly, as such is not weapon compatible. Side Effects: Near immediate heart failure. Fatality Potential: Near one hundred percent fatality rate among non-fire nature chakra users. Antidote Number 844-11, taken before exposure._

 _Poison Number 997, Nervous System Infection Poison, loses effectiveness with exposure to direct air, effective only when used with select water Justus. Commonly used by the Village Hidden in the Rain. Side Effects: Nervous systems and other vital systems suffer from slow failure and backlash, organ failure, severe pain, severe dehydration, chakra depletion, lack of blood production, lack of coagulation, etc... Fatality Potential: One Hundred Percent if antidote not received within 14 days, over 75 percent if_ received _after 7 days. Antidote Number 334-3, IV administration._

After I see Poison Number 997 again, I'm fairly certain that's what Aiya's teammates have been exposed to. When I go back to the front desk and offer both the poison and the antidote to the doctor that is conversing with the nurse, I am met with awe and gratitude. Not only have I given them what they're looking for, but I've successfully made sure that a political incident isn't started by their deaths. Waving them off, I wander off again.

* * *

Several hours later, I have made my rounds around the village multiple times and still not found Anko-shishou. Then, I have a very very serious 'duh' moment. We captured a spy, Anko-shishou is in T&I. He's connected with Orochimaru, her former teacher. Even if they don't let her interrogate him, she's at least watching. I make my way to the T&I area of the Hokage Tower, ignoring the odd looks I receive. Being a genin in this part of the building, and looking at least a little bedraggled and exhausted, probably does make me look a bit out of place.

It takes awhile, but I do indeed find Anko-shishou. She, along with several other members of the T&I department, are all staring into a room and whispering. Peering through the one-way glass, I see a smug looking Kabuto. Before I can get too close, the adults all snap their attention towards me, almost at once.

"Good evening Anko-shishou! I came to talk to you about training for the finals coming up in a month, but if you're busy I can come back?" No one responds, they just all stare blankly at me, as if they have no idea how I even got here.

"Ah, you might be wondering why they let me in here... See, I just told them that I'm Anko-shishou's official protege and presented them with the card that proves it! It technically means I can go wherever I want if she's there... Are you having trouble with Kabuto? Maybe I can help?" Shuffling nervously, I wait for someone to speak. Finally, Ibiki breaks the silence, giving me a small grin and motioning towards the door.

"Go ahead then, you are Anko's protege after all. Let's see what you can get out of him." Oh, was not expecting that.


	35. Chapter 35

**Outtakes From Recent Events**

 _ **Kiba POV Violetta Finishes the Exams**_

 _I nearly had a fucking heart attack when I saw Violetta, she looked pale as a ghost and I could smell blood on her again. She looked traumatized, to say the least, and I have no damn clue how we're gonna fully get rid of her fear of canines after this._

 _ **Ino POV Battle With Sakura**_

 _Can I really beat her? We've both always been so evenly matched until now..._

 ** _Temar_ _i_ _POV_**

 _That little girl helped the other kunoichi of her village beat me. How dare she, now she's royally destroyed our plan. Wait... What's this?_

 _ **Aiya's POV The Preliminaries**_

 _Out of all the people I could draw, I drew this girl? She doesn't seem very strong, low chakra signatures, and I can tell she's injured. However, she's a Watanabe so I imagine her skills are much greater than they seem. It helps that she's relatively attractive, and her smile is nice..._

 ** _Anko POV The Preliminaries_**

 _Not only had the kid managed to arrange dango for me every day of her exams... But now she went and won her match in such a spectacular fashion that I can brag for months! Plus, even though she was alone she finished third and had the top scores on the written exam with zero instances of_ cheating.

* * *

 **Anko POV**

What the hell is Ibiki thinking? Sending her in there with that... That Monster. Is he trying to mentally scar her and possibly get her killed? Great, now later I'm going to have to lay it on him for this. Of course, the kid brought it up and then she has to go and listen when he gives her permission...

 **Violetta POV**

I opened the door to the interrogation room slowly and sat calmly across the table from the bound Kabuto. He grinned evilly at me and leaned forward.

"I'm going to kill you for this you know. But first I'll torture you, and just when you think you're going to die I'll heal you and start all over-"Smiling back at him I shrug.

"Whatever makes you happy I guess, doesn't really bother me any. Did you need help with ideas? Let's see... I'm terrified of drowning, of buildings collapsing on me, really very terrified of canines-particularly wolves. I'm not scared of snakes or spiders or any of that, so you can save yourself the time. I also have a fairly high tolerance for pain, and when my adrenaline gets going I just don't feel anything. What's that look for? I'm being serious, if you somehow manage to both escape and kidnap me, you've honestly earned the right to torture and kill me as retribution at that point. However, then you'll never get to all of the things that I know about you." Growling lightly, Kabuto leans back in his chair once again, fixing me with his best ' fifty-yard stare'. Frankly, my mother without her coffee does a better one.

"You're gonna regret that. Plus, It's not like you'll tell me anything anyway. So why should I care what you know? Besides, if you know everything what do you need me for?"

"Oh, I don't need you. I'm sure I can figure out what I want to know if I tried hard enough. The problem is, you're so insignificant in the grand scheme of things that it would actually require effort on my part. You're a pawn Kabuto, a throwaway piece. So really, there's nothing you can tell me that's of any significance. I doubt you know anything useful as if a man like Orochimaru would trust someone so easily captured with sensitive information." Kabuto is boiling in rage now, checkmate.

"Oh yeah, do you know the location of the sound village, the locations of our outposts and laboratories? What clans we've gotten to align themselves with us? Where we're getting our manpower? Where our troops will be stationed in the invasion? There are a million things I know that you don't- Hey! What're you doing?!" While Kabuto was thinking so intently and angrily about all of those things I grabbed his arm and felt a million pieces of information shoot through me. Flashes of facts, numbers, maps, and so many other things. Within half second blood was pouring from my nose and eyes, and the door to the room was flying open.

Didn't matter to me. I'd seen what I needed to see, and despite it being over and the blood still pouring I smiled at Kabuto. To his credit, he looked shell-shocked, and I can't say that I wouldn't have the same look on my face in his situation. Anko bundled me out into the hallway, but before she can even get me into a chair I feel my consciousness slip away from me like the water in a stream.

* * *

 **Anko POV**

This kid would be the death of me, she was giving me gray hairs already and it's fucking bullshit. Acting as if she can just do reckless things with her abilities all of a sudden because she doesn't have to hide them from as many people. I swear, when she wakes up she's in trouble. For now, she's going to the hospital because of the amount of blood she's lost. That, and it's been five minutes and she hasn't woken up and is still bleeding. She's normally awake shortly afterward, but she also normally passes out when the vision begins. What has she done to herself?

 ** _Violetta POV;_ _Subconscious_**

Where am I?

The world around me is a swirling sky of many colors, and the ground below my feet is like a field of tall grasses. Off in the distance, I see someone else staring out at the horizon. They're standing next to a lone oak tree and I slowly walk towards them. When I'm finally close enough to them, they turn and face me, a bright smile on their face. It's my great-grandmother, not as she was when she would have passed, but young like the pictures I had been shown by my mother.

"Hello dear, I've been wondering when you'd get yourself stuck here. I'd done it at least a dozen times by the time I was your age."

"Where is here, and are you who I think you are?" Laughing she holds her hands out and takes my own, examining my palms carefully.

"Here is the place our gift comes from, home to the deities of past, present, and future. While they are not particularly powerful in battle, they are still strong. They are strongest of course when they are together, but rarely is one person able to maintain the three of them at one time. The strain on the mind and body is too great for most, and even I, with the power of only one deity, suffered from pain day after day even after mastering my visions. I fear you may never master the powers sealed within at this rate, not without serious harm to your mind, body, and spirit. I wish I could have lived to teach you, but it wasn't possible." What is she talking about?

"What do you mean? Powers sealed within? I don't understand." Sighing softly, she releases my hands and looks up at the multi-colored sky.

"The first person to become a jinchuuriki didn't hold a tailed beast. It was the first one to have this gift of our family, that first young boy who was brought to the clan head because of his claims of having these visions. In truth, he had stumbled across the deities of past, present, and future, where they had been cast out of their true world in a great battle that would one day bring the tailed beasts and other warriors of their world into our own. Even the giant toads, slugs, snakes, and other summons were once the lesser warriors of that world. Those who could not fight fled, or were banished, and that is the fate these deities met. They were weak and injured, not able to survive in our world with their true forms lost when they were cast out. The young boy had a kind soul and asked if there was anything at all he could do for them, and in short, he let them use his body and mindscape as their home. They couldn't give him great strength or chakra, but in exchange, they could give him a gift of sight. This is what they did."

"When he was older and had children of his own, he began to age. It was decided by the deities, that man, and the head of the clan, that when he passed they would drift and find new homes in the bodies of newborn Watanabe children. However, they could not live in the mind and body of just anyone. Most times they are divided among people now, one person unable to house the three of them together, but on occasion when their hosts pass near the same time once again they will all find their way to the same form. It is then that someone with true sight is created. While exposure to these deities in the bloodline has created many that have better foresight than most, nothing is better than the gift of true sight. You were born shortly after the previous possessors had passed, and they all found their way to you."

"It was an odd choice, given your sickly state, but your mind and spirit were strong enough to overcome this. Their presence also gave you the gift of true sight but it took away so much from you. It took away your sense of self I fear, leaving you lost and frightened. What it has taken is why I fear you may never be able to master these powers."

Nodding slowly, I join her in looking up at the sky. I'm surprised to see she was actually looking at something, three indistinct blurs are circling overhead. It's almost as though they're watching us and listening to our conversations. Which, I imagine, they are.

"So, mastering my gift isn't going to be like the way I've been going about it. It's not so bad, I don't have to worry about going crazy from being so overpowered and having a homicidal being locked unwillingly inside me. They're here of their own volition, an arrangement of mutual benefit. I might not get any amazing battle powers, but I don't need those. I prefer simple techniques executed well anyway, and I if I can plan far enough ahead I won't need techniques like that anyway. It'll be just fine, I'll master it through sheer tenacity if I have to. Will I ever get to meet them?" My great grandmother smiles and pulls me into a hug, whispering softly.

"Those three had their doubts, but I believed in you all along. They'll be down shortly. Remember, be brave and strong little one." Without another word, she vanishes into the breeze, and those grey figures begin to slowly descend.

When they finally materialize in front of me, I resist the urge to back away. They have taken the form of wolves, each one a dark grey color with a colored symbol between their eyes in black. Representing their ability of past, present, or future. A waxing moon for past, a full moon for the present, and a waning moon for future.

"Be calm child, we will bring you no harm. We'll speak more with you in your dreams later, for now, you must wake up. Three days have already passed, and your friend Lee was further injured by the Gaara child. Depending on future actions, he may not be able to be a shinobi any longer. Other things have passed, and you must prepare for what is to come. Go now, and do your duty." They vanish as quickly as they arrived, and the world around me slowly fades to black.


	36. Chapter 36

**Anko** **POV**

She'd been out cold for twenty two days, a spontaneous and serious coma. They'd had to do five separate blood transfusions while she slept, and the bleeding would start again randomly. It had progressed to where not only were her eyes and nose bleeding, but she'd cough up blood that had built up in her lungs. Her lungs have been drained of the blood nine times by now, and she's not showing any signs of getting better. I hadn't left her alone for long over the last couple days, and that Kiba kid took turns between sitting at her bedside and his teammate's. If he wasn't in their room his ninken was, and currently, the little ninken was curled up on the edge of Violetta's bed. Several times others had stopped by, including the girl she'd fought in the preliminaries, who left a letter for when she woke up. Genma stops in the doorway, I must be needed for something. Sighing I give the ninken a stern look.

"Keep an eye on her, I'll be back soon." He yips softly in response and I follow Genma away from her room.

 **Violetta POV**

Breathing was painful, and I felt as though I'd been hit with Lee's lotus a few million times in a row. I felt like I couldn't open my eyes, and I wondered about the bandaging I could feel on my arms and my torso. A faint whimper came from beside me, and I instinctually try to reach toward Akamaru. He comes up beside me and licks my palm, I still haven't opened my eyes, but I imagine he looks incredibly worried. Coughing softly, I push myself into a sitting position and slowly pry my eyes open. It's painful, and the world is fairly blurry but I imagine that's what happens when your eyes bleed excessively.

It has never been this bad before, and I wish I knew how long I'd been out for. Whatever happened, I have to figure it out and get a hold on it fast so it doesn't happen again. Akamaru nuzzles my side gently and I pat his head softly, squinting at the clock I cough again and attempt to move my legs over the edge of the bed. However, before I can do so, a nurse appears and scolds me. When the doctor comes in a little while later, he informs me I'll be on bedrest until the final exams, and I'm to come back right after them as well to stay for a while after that. I'll have to make my plans from the confines of this room.

 **Day of the Finals**

Everything wasn't going to go smoothly, that much I knew, but I hoped I would be able to remedy at least one event. Everything else, well, it goes well enough on its own that I don't feel the need to meddle at all. Kakashi was given his instructions for later, and I tapped my foot nervously while Ino kept watching me from the corner of her eye.

The preliminaries weren't off to a great start. The crowd was furious, Sasuke's match had to be postponed because he was late. Kankuro forfeited to conserve his energy, his sister isn't to interfere with anything to do with the invasion, as I'd instructed her. Much worse things happen if anyone tries to stop it from happening altogether.

Ino and Shikamaru's fight was next, and two clan heads and teammates fighting one another did seem to tide the crowd over a bit.

"Don't you go easy on me Shikamaru! I can take whatever you've got." Grumbling he barely manages to dodge her first kick when the proctor begins the match. She's careful to touch the ground sporadically, unpredictably, as far from his as possible and as little as possible. He's on the defensive and flees into the tree line. Ino is smart enough to stay back, and glancing around she notices the hole leftover from Naruto and Neji's match. A perfect thing for him to exploit to lengthen his shadow. She launches back away from them to the other side of the arena, eyeing down the thinking Shikamaru. Pulling out a couple of smoke bombs, she attaches them to kunai and launches them into various places in the trees. Shikamaru's thoughts are disrupted and he's forced back into the open and right into Ino who launched to take him out as he exited the trees, predicting the direction he would head toward safety. He'd tried to maneuver to keep himself close to the holes in the ground, and against someone who wasn't his teammate with a more tactical mind than she's given credit for, he might have succeeded. As it was, her roundhouse kick knocks him into a tumble that continues all the way to the other side of the arena. As far away from those holes and extra shadows as she could get him. Before she can go after him again, he forfeits.

"Bah, this is a drag. I quit, she already ruined my plan. I had no idea she'd gotten this good." The proctor calls it, and since Dosu also never showed, they have to deliberate on a few different matters. Sasuke better show up like he's supposed to- There he is.

The match begins,and it goes exactly how I saw it play out in my mind. As the match begins to heat up I tell Ino that I'm going to go to the restrooms, and head to roof above where the Kages sit. It's now or never, and now always sounds better to me.

* * *

My view had been slightly obscured from where I laid in wait, but I launched onto the roof just before the barrier went up. I barely dodged the kunai thrown at me, and I could hear Orochimaru chuckle darkly.

"Don't worry, it's just a little fish. This genin is nothing more than a plaything that will try to delay the inevitable." I don't respond, simply moving to stand beside the Hokage, whose discarded his ceremonial wear in exchange for the shinobi wear he keeps on underneath it.

"Violetta, please avoid the fight as much as possible. This is beyond your level." Shaking my head I hand the Hokage a small blue vial, and pull out one for myself.

"I make no promises, please drink that quickly." Once he's downed the liquid I finally acknowledge the silent Orochimaru.

"Even little fish can make waves." I throw the poison smoke bomb into the air where it detonates with a bang. The blue smoke billows out, Poison Number 623, Chakra Inhibition Poison, Decreases the victim's chakra by half. Can be permanent, antidote must be taken before exposure. It's not much when you're going against a sannin, considering half of one of their chakra is at least five times my own, but still. I'll take whatever I can get.

Taking cover and trying to stay out of the fray, I watch in amazement as the landscape changes. With so much of his chakra depleted, Orochimaru fails to summon the previous hokage's but he still manages to get a hold on Sarutobi and just before his blade pierces him I shushin into space between them.

"My apologies Hokage-sama, I stayed out of it until now, but I couldn't any longer." Each of my gloved hands is gripping one of Orochimaru's wrists, and I grin as I can see the poison begin to seep off of them and into his system. He jerks away from me when he notices as well, leaving the blade behind in my shoulder.

"Like I said, even little fish can make big waves. I've done some research, and I had a friend of mine that's a water type activate a nervous system toxin that's only effective in chakra infused water vapor, and then we mixed it with a blood toxin. Together they form another poison that actually already exists but is nearly impossible to make, and completely impossible to treat. Your arms will never work again, and the other poison I used will reduce your chakra by half for at least the next few months. Depending on your immune system, that could be permanent too. You've lost,-" Coughing I fall back and the Hokage gently lowers me done, preparing to fight Orochimaru again. However, Orochimaru flees before he can do so, and rather than pursue him the Hokage stays by my side. He begins to scold me, the blade was poisoned after all, but I wave him off.

"I took poison number 598, its only purpose is to latch onto other poisons in the blood stream. It keeps them from spreading, but in doing so it... It puts you to sleep until the other poison wears off or is removed, or you die, the only downside is that... It does the same to antidotes, even its own if there's another poison in the system. It's-cough-time for you to retire... Send Jiraiya and Naruto to find her, the Legendary Sannin... Tsunade." I can't be sure, but as I speak and the world fades to black, I fear that I see tears on the Hokage's face. Ah, I hope he forgives me for going to sleep now...

* * *

 **DUN DUN DUN! The next part of the series, "A Heart of Violet", will release by June 2019(So that I can finish up school.)! Be sure to check it out, as well as my upcoming story about My Hero Academia, "Of Psychokinetics and Pyromaniacs", that will release before then as I've been working on it longer than even this story!**

 **I've been so grateful for all of you that have taken the time to even read a single chapter of this, and more grateful to those who have reviewed and favourited and followed! It means so much to me, and I hope we can continue this journey together.**


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